At no point in time was fashion hierarchy more pronounced than during the Middle Ages. This was a period when kings and queens highly influenced the code of dressing of the populace. Only the wealthy could dress in fashionable clothes, creating a clear visual chasm between the haves and the have-nots.
According to www.middle-ages.org.uk, only the members of royalty were allowed to wear cloth of gold and purple silk under the Sumptuary Laws passed by King Edward III. Expensive veils were banned for lower class women. Only the wives or daughters of nobles were allowed to wear velvet, satin sable or ermine. Medieval fashion changed with each king and queen. Different events, which occurred during the Medieval era of the Middle Ages, also affected fashion. The Crusades was probably the greatest influence on Medieval Fashion when fine silks, satins, damasks, brocades, and velvets were imported from the Far East. The Medieval fashion worn in the royal courts in the Middle Ages were imitated across Europe. Fashions in France, Spain and Italy strongly influenced the fashions of Medieval England.
Designer Rem Divino gives his own spin on Medieval couture as he creates opulent gowns and dresses using the rich colors and textures of the era. Noticeable on Divino’s collection is the complexity of his silhouettes and the abundance of rusching, pleating, appliqué and beadwork.