Lady-in-waiting Mary Catherine Wallace takes the stage as "Tina Turner" in the Texas Rose Festival Coronation held at the University of Texas at Tyler Cowan Center in Tyler on Friday Oct. 19, 2018. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Rock stars and rhythmic tunes struck a positive note with audience members at the coronation of Rose Queen Amanda Elaine Hiles.

Wearing intricate gowns and costumes, the queen and members of her royal court brought the 85th Texas Rose Festival theme of “Rock the Rose” to life in two performances Friday on the R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center stage.

Duchess of the Texas Rose Festival Ann Caswell Ferguson dazzled in a sparkling, jewel-encrusted blue and white gown inspired by rhythm and blues.

Other highly-applauded costumes and gowns at the matinee performance of the coronation were inspired by disco, Led Zeppelin, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Michael Jackson, the jukebox and more.

This year’s coronation featured a new set that extended farther out into the crowd and allowed audiences a closer look at each participant’s ensemble.

Greer Del Rio, of New Braunfels, attended the matinee coronation with her 4-year-old daughter, Blythe. She said they both had the same reaction.

“It was wonderful,” Del Rio said. “I loved, loved, loved the music.”

Deb Tyler, of Tyler, said she also enjoyed the coronation, joking that she was a little biased because she is Hiles’ great-aunt. 

She liked seeing the personality and enthusiasm many of the participants put into their roles on stage.

“It was stunning,” she said.

THE QUEEN’S ENSEMBLE

Upon entering the stage, Hiles received a standing ovation from the matinee coronation crowd. Soon after, Brad Curtis, president of the Texas Rose Festival Association, crowned her as queen of this year’s festival.

Costume designer Winn Morton designed Hiles’ coronation gown, train, crown and scepter. 

After meeting with the queen in December and learning about her love for the festival, Morton and his associate designer Bob Cook traveled to New York to find the finest fabrics from around the world, according to a description of the ensemble in the coronation program.

According the program, Morton was able to find the perfect gold and champagne silk brocade, as well as crimson and silk brocade with a rose motif. Because roses represent love and passion, he felt it was the perfect theme for Hiles’ gown.

On her gown, rose colors of dark pink symbolize gratitude and appreciation; pink symbolizes grace, elegance and sweetness; light pink symbolizes gentleness and admiration, and white represents unity and virtue.

John Ahrens of Customworks of Dallas, and his four seamstresses constructed the queen’s dress. Multiple colors and sizes of red and gold Aurora Borealis Swarovski crystals were sewn by hand onto the silk brocade fabric. Silk roses were handmade and covered with crystals. The gold bugle bead fringe with crimson Swarovski drops also was handmade.

Clara Chumney, of San Antonio, and her team of seamstresses, handcrafted the queen’s 15-foot train. 

The train is adorned with three-dimensional roses that, like the dress, are handmade and covered in Swarovski crystals. Approximately 200,000 crystals and stones were used to have the train sparkle under the spotlights.

Toward the top of the train are two tiaras that represent Hiles’ mother, Stacey Hardin Hiles, and her sister, Grace Hiles, who both served as ladies-in-waiting in previous festivals. A crown also was placed on the train for her aunt Kristie Hardin Arnette, who served as queen of the festival in 1992.

Above the monogram, there is a stoned crown that represents Hiles’ reign as queen of the 85th Texas Rose Festival. Hiles’ love of dance is reflected in stones used on her train. They follow the team colors of Dance-N-Drill’s Golden Girls, the Robert E. Lee Southern Belles and the Tyler Junior College Apache Belles, where she currently is a dance captain.

Tom Newberry and Tom Sanders of Art and Commerce in Dallas created the crown and scepter designed by Morton. After meeting with the queen for measurements, they began the five-month process of creating the accessories.

The crown is covered with more than 32,000 Swarovski crystals. The scepter is crowned with a rose with dangling dewdrops symbolizing her love and passion for the splendor of everything Texas Rose Festival.

A commemorative magazine featuring the Tyler Morning Telegraph’s coverage of the 2018 Texas Rose Festival can be purchased online. View more photos from the event at focusinon.me.

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