Or how to compile a wardrobe like The Duchess of Cambridge's...
If you were allowed to have a good old root around inside Kate Middleton‘s closet, how many fashion gems do you think you’d find? There’s a plethora of McQueen, sure. Boxes and boxes of nude L.K. Bennett courts, obviously. But the Duchess Of Cambridge is also really good at introducing us to niche new brands that we would never previously have heard of (Aquatalia, anyone?).
She’s the ultimate fashion diplomat, whose impeccable style choices have been known to build bridges between nations (remember when she tactically wore Canadian-born British designer Erdem Moralioglu to kick off her royal tour in Ottawa, or wore this dress in Poland?), and the Kate Middleton effect leads to an instant sell-out of any item she wears.
‘There is no question that Kate choosing to wear Reiss has impacted our brand,’ David Reiss, Founder and Managing Director of Reiss told us. ‘We have noticed a significant increase in terms of brand interest and awareness globally, strengthening existing markets and attracting attention in markets we are yet to enter.’
Getting Duchess Kate’s seal of approval is the ultimate honour for any fashion brand, but the impact her endorsement can have on small businesses in particular has been known to literally see tiny labels launch into fully fledged companies overnight.
‘I was so excited the first time I found out that the Duchess had chosen to wear one of our dresses,’ Natasha Rufus Isaacs, co-founder of ethical fashion label Beulah told us. ‘We were a relatively unknown and young label, and it definitely helped spread the word about us and the cause that we support.’
Find out more about Beulah, Reiss and all of Kate Middleton’s favourite high street and designer fashion brands below, plus shop our edit to recreate her wardrobe…
Kate Middleton wearing Zara
Kate Middleton’s worked a lot of Zara into her casual wardrobe – blouses, blazers, you name it. But our favourite episode? It has to be her charity polo game dress, a £39 number from Zara that was easy, breezy beautiful (even if she was a little stressed out when Prince George’s cousin Savannah shoved him down a hill). Unsurprisingly, the dress totally sold out but we’ve linked out to a similar one below.
Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock
Zara Off the Shoulder Dress
Priced at £29.99, available at Zara
Kate Middleton wearing Alexander McQueen
Let’s start with the Duchess’s ultimate fashion go-to, shall we? Kate LOVES Sarah Burton’s designs at Alexander McQueen almost as much as she loves Wills. From that stunning lace wedding dress to an entire collection of chic, sharp dresses and occasion coats, Sarah always strikes a perfect balance between McQueen’s house hallmarks (extreme silhouettes, Victorian corsetry and dramatic presence) and Kate’s softer, approachable personality. Every time the pair collaborate, the resulting look is pitch perfect.
Duchess Kate in Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen Front Slit Long Dress
Priced at £1,894, available at Farfetch
Kate Middleton wearing Monica Vinader
British jewellery Monica Vinader has been one of the Duchess’s go-to brands since 2014. She wore the label’s delicate crystal-studded Riva necklace and matching earrings, with a combined cost of £2,750, to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year gala at the National History Museum that year and has since modelled them on multiple engagements. On her tour of Canada in 2016, she accessorised with the brand’s more understated Siren Wire earrings in green onyx to match her emerald hued Dolce and Gabbana dress. She’s worn them frequently and they’re the quintessential pair of Kate Middleton earrings, if you flick through the archives they pop up – a lot.
Kate Middleton in Monica Vinader
Monica Vinader Siren Wire Earrings
Priced at £135, available at Monica Vinader
Kate Middleton wearing Reiss
When Duchess Kate wore Reiss’s Shola dress to meet the Obamas in 2011 the impact on sales was instant. ‘The surge in web traffic following the release of the images caused our website to crash, David Reiss, Founder and Managing Director of Reiss told us. ‘The dress promptly sold out online when service was resumed.’ The Duchess’s wardrobe is full of Reiss’s classic dresses including the Nannette and the Trina – both of which also experienced the ‘Kate effect’ in full force when they too sold out in a fashion flash.
Duchess Kate in Reiss
REISS Alber Dress
Priced at £185, available at REISS
Kate Middleton wearing L.K. Bennett
Oh those cream courts. Never has anyone ever been so faithful to a signature shoe. And yet they always look box fresh? We have reason to believe that Kate’s L.K. Bennett collection is housed a mini-wardrobe of its own and comprises of even more classic heels, a few pairs of showstopper sandals and a dozen or so boxes of stockpiled nude ‘Sledge’ pumps.
Duchess Kate in L.K. Bennett
L.K. Bennett Stila Trench Patent Court Heels
Priced at £195, available at L.K. Bennett
Kate Middleton wearing Temperley London
Both Middleton sisters love Alice Temperley’s eponymous line (Pippa has even been spotted on the designer’s London Fashion Week front row). And Alice equally loves them back. ‘[Kate is] a brilliant ambassador for British fashion,’ she has said of her regular client, who comes to her for red carpet drama and pretty lace day dresses alike.
Duchess Kate in Temperley London
Temperley London Haze Guipure Lace and Tulle Dress
Priced at £627, available at NET-A-PORTER
Kate Middleton wearing Jenny Packham
Another go-to for red carpet wow gowns and chic maternity ward nighties alike. True glam prevailed, though, when Jenny provided Duchess Kate with this stunning embellished gown for a red carpet-ready party in Hollywood. Does it get any more A-List?
Duchess Kate in Jenny Packham
Jenny Packham Pheonix Gown
Priced at £2,800, available at Harrods
Kate Middleton wearing Le Chameau
Kate’s a country girl at heart and always goes to Le Chameau, manufacturer of the ‘world’s finest rubber boots’ for her, erm, wellies. A ‘maître bottier’ handcrafts each pair of the French heritage brand’s shoes. Because apparently Hunters are just too general public these days.
Duchess Kate in Le Chameau
Le Chameau Women’s Vierzon Jersey Lined Boot
Priced at £135, available at Le Chameau
Kate Middleton wearing Mulberry
A fan of the established Brit label since her uni days, Kate Middleton’s Mulberry bag collection includes a classic black Polly Push Lock and a bright pink Araline, which she once wore with yellow disco hot-pants (well you would, wouldn’t you?) More recently she’s been loving the brand’s ready-to-wear line and has snapped-up a bunch of classic English garden dresses.
Duchess Kate in Mulberry
Mulberry Amberley Oak Natural Grain Leather Bag
Priced at £1,095, available at Mulberry
Kate Middleton wearing Emilia Wickstead
Kate regularly called upon the first lady of British couture while she was pregnant with Prince George, making sure that all of her maternity wear was tailor-made to the royal bump. Wickstead injects a lot of colour into the Duchess’s wardrobe too – we love the Miss Peacock vibe of this recent ensemble in New Zealand.
Duchess Kate in Emilia Wickstead
Emilia Wickstead Karinette Midi Dress
Priced at £865, available at MATCHESFASHION.COM
Kate Middleton wearing Issa London
Kate Middleton’s worn a lot of Issa’s beautifully draped dresses, but let’s focus on one specific moment – her engagement. Matching the label’s royal blue silk jersey wrap style to her new Sapphire rock was headline-grabbing sartorial genius.
Duchess Kate in Issa London
ISSA London Petite Kate Tie Wrap Dress
Priced at £39, available at House of Fraser
Kate Middleton wearing J Brand
Yes, when she’s off-duty Duchess Kate does jeans like the best of us. J Brand skinnies are her signature denim style – we totally wish those coral 811s were in our PE kit bag.
Duchess Kate in J Brand
J Brand Alana Coated Skinny Cropped High-Rise Jeans
Priced at £265, available at Selfridges
Kate Middleton wearing Aquatalia
Aquatalia by Marvin K. is another brand Kate’s been keen on since the St Andrews days. The Italian leather designer is renowned for his super-comfy and weather-ready soles. Chic.
Duchess Kate in Aquatalia
Aquatalia Macey Boot
Priced at £324.16, available at Aquatalia
Kate Middleton wearing Russell and Bromley
Kate’s £245 Russell and Bromley wedges have become one of her wardrobe staples. Her go-to styling choice when dressing up those J Brand drainpipes, she’s even played volleyball in the 4inch cork platforms. What a pro.
Duchess Kate in Russell and Bromley
Russell & Bromley Candyfloss Peep-Toe Espadrille
Priced at £135, available at Russell and Bromley
Kate Middleton wearing Erdem
Clever Kate used her style to unite nations on her Canada tour in 2011, choosing a dress by Canadian-born British designer Erdem Moralioğlu on her first day in Ottawa. Every country (obviously) wanted to take some credit for that masterful use of lace.
Duchess Kate in Erdem
ERDEM jumpsuit
Priced at £1,480, available at FARFETCH
Kate Middleton wearing Jimmy Choo
The Duchess’s party shoe of choice – usually something strappy, sky high and shimmering. Proper princess footwear? Now we’re talking.
Duchess Kate in Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo Minny 85 liquid gold mirror
Priced at £550, available at Jimmy Choo
Kate Middleton wearing Beulah
Ethical fashion label Beulah use a portion of their profits to help victims of India’s sex trafficking trade. Kate’s helped to raise awareness of the brand and their work, wearing a few of their loose and lightweight dresses when she’s on tours in hot climates.
‘She’s a wonderful ambassador for British fashion and her support definitely raises awareness and recognition of the brand,’ Natasha Rufus Isaacs, co-founder of ethical fashion label Beulah told us. ‘A few of the press picked up on the charity angle on our business, that we help vulnerable and trafficked women and provide an alternative, sustainable livelihood. Raising awareness and funds for the cause is the heart of what we do here at Beulah.’
Duchess Kate in Beulah
Beulah Yahvi pink dress
Priced at £550, available at Beulah
Kate Middleton wearing Prabal Gurung
Esteemed fashion critics called Kate Middleton’s printed Prabal dress ‘daring’ and ‘fabulous’ when she debuted it on her Singapore tour 2012. And how ever did she know that American-Nepalese designer Mr Gurung was born in Singapore? Spot on, again.
Duchess Kate in Prabal Gurung
Prabal Gurung Floral Dress
Priced at £1,483, available at FARFECTCH
Kate Middleton wearing Max Mara
Lovely luxe coats are Italian mega-label MaxMara’s specialist subject. Kate’s got about 5 in her winter wardrobe – ideal investment pieces.
Duchess Kate in Max Mara
Max Mara Melina Stand Collar Coat
Priced at £550, available at Harrods
Kate Middleton wearing Jaeger
The Duchess of Cambridge loves Jaeger dresses – from this sweet sunshine shirtdress on tour in the Solomon Islands, to the nautical number that she snapped up in the SS14 sale. Who said royalty couldn’t be thrifty?
Duchess Kate in Jaeger
Jaeger Tuck And Fit Detail Dress
Priced at £185, available at Jaeger
Kate Middleton wearing Suzannah
A recent addition to Duchess Kate’s style files, she chose one of Brit label Suzannah’s gorgeous green tea dresses for Prince George’s first birthday bash at the Natural History Museum.
Duchess Kate in Suzannah
Suzannah Odette Tea Dress Fan Flower
Priced at £695, available at Suzannah
Kate Middleton wearing Burberry
Many a wardrobe isn’t complete without a trench coat and for a while, Kate’s fit n’ flare Burberry mac was her most-worn piece. We haven’t seen it since March 2011 – surely she couldn’t have thrown such a classic in a charity bag?
Duchess Kate in Burberry
Burberry Coat
Priced at £2,290, available from Burberry
Kate Middleton wearing Whistles
The Duchess Of Cambridge loves Whistles (here she is wearing their best-selling Carrie pleated skirt in 2011), however, the brand’s chief executive Jane Shepherdson says the ‘Kate effect’ on sales isn’t always as you might expect – thanks to her thriftiness. ‘She wore a blouse [in the royal engagement photos] which was actually from a few seasons ago, which we weren’t running,’ she said. ‘So in that instance, it raised profile certainly, but it didn’t do anything for sales.’
Duchess Kate in Whistles
Whistles Lana Pleated Dress
Priced at £99, available at Whistles
Kate Middleton wearing Goat
Luxury label Goat just announced that their first stand-alone store will open in Mayfair this year – no doubt, in part, thanks to the ‘Kate effect’. Kate was spotted (but really, how could you miss her?) in this fuchsia frock on a visit to a London school.
Duchess Kate in Goat
Golightly Wool Crepe Dress
Priced at £392, available at MATCHESFASHION.COM
Kate Middleton wearing DVF
Kate’s got several of DvF’s classic silk jersey wrap dresses in her closet, in a mixture of the designer’s signature 70s prints and bold colour combos. On her trip to LA with Prince William in 2011, she debuted one of the New York designer’s classic Lytton box clutches in a pink leopard print – a look Cheryl Cole loved so much that she snapped one up for herself a few days later.
Duchess Kate in Diane von Furstenberg
Diane von Furstenberg Striped Cotton Wrap Dress
Priced at £336, available at NET-A-PORTER
Kate Middleton wearing Anya Hindmarch
Whenever she feels like injecting some pure fashion fun into an outfit, Kate whips out this fan bag by Queen of quirky clutches Anya Hindmarch. It’s made appearances at Wimbledon in July 2014 and on her Canadian tour, to name but a few occasions…
Duchess Kate in Anya Hindmarch
Anya Hindmarch Heart Chubby Leather Clutch
Priced at £232.50, available at FORZIERI
Kate Middleton wearing Hobbs
Duchess Kate in Hobbs
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We’ve spotted Kate Middleton wearing Hobbs’s Wessex dress on three occasions in as many years. Proper fashion critics call that ‘recycling’, but we’re just going to go ahead and assume that she’s ‘wearing her own, actual clothes’. It is, apparently, the perfect attire to do judo in, too.
Hobbs Lainey Shirt Dress
Priced at £149, available at Hobbs
So, which items will you be picking up?
Happy shopping!
