Kate would look like a 'choice' princess in Kiwi dress

Designs from left, Celine Rita, Kate Dowman, Jane Yeh and World. Pictures / Supplied

This is what queen-in-waiting Kate Middleton's wedding dress would look like if top Kiwi designers had their way.

British media are tipping Bruce Oldfield and Phillipa Lepley will be asked to design the wedding dress for Middleton's marriage to Prince William.

So the Herald on Sunday asked some key New Zealanders to come up with a design.

Bridal designer Kate Dowman says Middleton's wedding dress will be her major opportunity to really show off her personal taste and style to the world.

Dowman would create a dress that paid tribute to the late Diana with a dramatic silhouette and a sweetheart neckline.

"It's a modern version of Diana's dress," she says.

The gown would require more than 25m of fabric - a combination of French lace, English tulle and dupion silk - plus hundreds of Swarovski crystals.

"It's a big, grand, fairy-tale dress with layers. She is going to be a princess, after all."

Jane Yeh also opted for a dropped waist to accentuate Middleton's slim figure, with hand-sewn lace and hand-beaded diamonds.

"This dramatic dress is made of top-quality duchess satin, featuring a glamorous off-the-shoulder neckline and transparent sleeves edged with appliquéd French guipure lace. I would use pearl white or a pale ivory fabric," Yeh said.

Self-confessed royalist and World designer Denise L'Estrange-Corbet took a more simple approach, with a demure, floor length dress with pearl buttons, long sleeves and a neckline to stay within the Church of England's conservative style.

She would also include ultra-expensive Honiton lace.

"Honiton lace is very traditional and very English ... All the royal babies are christened wearing Honiton lace gowns. So I would put that all the way along the bottom, perhaps have it handmade in the shape of [the Royal Family] crest."

But L'Estrange-Corbet would not dress her in white.

"I'd go for a buttermilk colour, which would look better against her skin."

Up-and-coming designer Celine Rita said she would keep the gown "feminine and romantic" to play on Middleton's natural beauty.

"I wouldn't have anything too stiff or over the top. I'd clip flowers in her hair and have a soft bow flowing down the back of the dress."