Last month we delved into the backstories behind some of Duchess Kate's favourite brands and designers. This month we continue with the series and learn more about who makes her wonderful clothes:
Jenny Packham www.jennypackham.com
Founded in 1988 by Jenny Packham, the company began as an evening ready to wear collection. Then in 1997, her popular bridal collection was born.
Emilia Wickstead emiliawickstead.com
Emilia Wickstead is a New Zealand born designer, based in London. Her mother owned a boutique in the oldest suburb of Auckland, Parnell, when she was a young girl.
Beulah London www.beulahlondon.com
Founded in 2010 by Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs and designer Lavinia Brennan. The two met at their church in South Kensington.
Stuart Weitzman www.stuartweitzman.com
Stuart A. Weitzman is an American shoe designer. His father, Seymour Weitzman, opened a shoe store called Seymour’s Shoes, in Massachusetts in the1950s.
Which brands do you love Kate wearing the best? Would you like to learn about any other designers? Let me know and I will do some more digging.
Always, Alaina
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Kate has a few favorite labels that she wears while working and when she’s in front of the cameras: Reiss, Zara, L.K. Bennett, to name a few. But how much do we know about these designers? How did these designers become household names thanks to the Duchess? I for one knew very little and wanted to find out more so I did some digging into the history of her beloved brands as well as the designers who brought the labels to such fame, because it’s always fun to learn a backstory.
Let’s learn more about some of the designers behind Kate’s favorite labels:
**Currently running their summer sale -- up to 50% off, plus new summer lines added. Click to SHOP
J Brand www.jbrandjeans.com
Started in Los Angeles, CA in 2004 by Jeff Rudes, of Abercrombie and Fitch fame, as a means to create the most flattering and comfortable women’s jeans.
**If you sign-up to receive their emails, you’ll receive 15% off your first purchase!
L.K. Bennett www.lkbennett.com
Women-inspired and owned company started by Linda Kristin Bennett in 1990.
**On the US site, receive an extra 30% off with code JULY42016. On the UK/International site, they are running a Final Reductions summer sale (on 510 items!)
Alexander McQueen www.alexandermcqueen.com
Lee Alexander McQueen was a British fashion designer.
Temperley London www.temperleylondon.com
Launched by Alice Temperely in 2000. She has been described as the British Ralph Lauren. The brand is known for it’s luxurious fabrics and handmade designs.
Always, Alaina
Kate’s Royal Tiaras
Duchess Catherine has been a member of the British royal family for over 5 years and she has only worn a tiara FOUR times. This number is shocking low, considering her late mother-in-law, Diana, wore a sparkly headpiece to state affairs as often as she could once she became a royal.
Why does Kate not dust off the jewels in the Tower of London and wear them all of the time – of course, with the Queen’s permission? There’s no hard and fast rule about when royalty must wear a tiara, so Kate can choose when to wear one – so when she does, she must feel it necessary. Maybe she thinks the jewels make her appear too royal and showy and not in touch with the British people? (Honestly, who else can boast a jewelry collection of this caliber? In my dreams!) She wants to modernize the monarchy and seem approachable; so maintaining simple fashion and jewelry for her official work may be best in accomplishing this goal. Or maybe, as a commoner, she's just not used to wearing tiaras and feels out of place. Whatever the reason may be for her lack of tiara wearing, she has plenty of choices at her disposal.
Of course, there is tiara etiquette that Kate is aware of already. Geoffrey Munn, author of Tiaras – A History of Splendour, states that tiaras are to be worn based on the occasion, not on the rank of the person. Invitations used to stipulate that tiaras were to be worn, along with white ties and medals. Munn also informs that tiaras were a coming of age symbol for females. A woman would wear a family tiara on her wedding day, symbolizing the crowning of love and loss of innocence to marriage. After the wedding, the bride relinquished her family’s jewels in favor of her husband’s jewelry, again signaling her inclusion in the husband’s family. Lady Diana actually wore the Spencer tiara on her wedding day in 1981, symbolizing her passage from Spencer to Windsor. Lastly, Munn writes that the tiara should be placed on the head so others can see the jewels properly. In the 1920s, tiaras were worn lower on the forehead in a horizontal fashion, so times have certainly changed.
Below, we take a look at the tiaras worn by Kate and their special royal histories:
Halo Scroll Tiara
Worn on Kate’s wedding day on 29th April, 2011
HISTORY
According to the official Royal Collection website, the tiara “is formed as a band of 16 graduated scrolls set with 739 brilliants and 149 baton diamonds.”
The future King George VI commissioned Cartier in 1936 to design the tiara for his wife, Queen Elizabeth (AKA the Queen Mother.)
The Queen Mother gave the tiara to Princess Elizabeth (the current queen) as an 18th birthday surprise in 1944 – however, the queen never wore it publicly.
Princess Elizabeth lent the tiara to her sister, Princess Margaret, who was photographed wearing it numerous times during her early years.
Princess Anne also borrowed the piece as a young lady in the 1970s.
The piece resurfaced on Kate’s wedding day, holding her wedding veil. HM loaned this piece to Kate for the day. Kate’s parents had earrings commissioned by Robinson Pelham to match the tiara.
Lotus Flower Tiara (AKA Papyrus Leaf tiara)
HISTORY
Another piece commissioned by the Duke of York for his wife, the Duchess of York (the Queen Mother) in 1923, as a wedding gift. Fun fact: The original gift was a necklace with a Greek style pattern of diamonds and pearls. The duchess preferred to wear the piece on her head, so jeweler, Garrard, then reworked the necklace into the tiara we know today, totally changing the look of the piece.
The Queen Mother had so many tiaras to wear, that she soon tired of the piece and gave the tiara to her daughter, Princess Margaret, in 1959. Princess Margaret was fond of the tiara and she wore it for many public occasions throughout her life.
Princess Margaret lent the piece to her daughter-in-law, the Honorable Serena Stanhope, for her wedding to her son, Viscount Linley, in 1993.
Queen Elizabeth II allowed Kate to borrow the tiara for both state events in 2013 and 2015.
Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara (AKA Queen Mary’s Lovers Knot Tiara)
Worn in December 2015 to a Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace.
HISTORY
Commissioned from Garrard in 1913 by Queen Mary – hence the name. The design was modeled from a tiara owned by Mary’s grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse, the Duchess of Cambridge. (It was meant to be!) Queen Mary used existing pieces to make this tiara: Some Ladies of England Tiara, and Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara, along with pearl brooches.
The tiara contains 19 lovers knot arches, 38 drop-shaped pearls – 19 of which swing from the arches and another 19 that are removable upright points. The upright pearls were eventually removed to showcase the tiara seen today.
The tiara was passed along to Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and she wore it on a few occasions.
In 1981, the queen loaned the piece to Princess Diana, which is when it gained popularity and familiarity in photographs. It is said that Diana disliked the piece because it was so heavy and caused her painful headaches. My favorite photo of this tiara is Diana wearing it with the high collared Catherine Walker pearl encrusted bolero.
As a nod to her late mother-in-law, Kate surprised fans when she wore it to a diplomatic reception in 2015.
These tiaras all have a vast royal lineage and it’s so special to have Kate bring new life to them. With so many special occasions on the horizon, we can be sure to see her in more tiaras. I for one cannot wait to see which ones she’ll shine in! Which tiara is your favorite on Kate?
Always, Alaina
Alaina’s Quest for Kate’s Favorite Footwear Finds
I’m just going to say it – all women love shoes, including Kate. Boots, heels, flats, sneakers, she wears them all well. Kate tends to wear similarly shaped shoes from multiple designers in monochromatic colors, so as to best match her outfits and keep attention away from the floor.
I have to admit, when Kate wore the nude L.K. Bennett Sledge’s, I was sold.
I went out and bought a pair of nude heels (not L.K.’s – but they still looked nice,) and boy have they come in handy! I’ve worn them to work, out on the town, and even as a bridesmaid! Do you think Kate knew that those shoes would be a classic? They go with everything and they elongate the legs because of the nude color. Very flattering!
I’ve tried my hand at a few more of Kate’s shoes and they’ve all ended disastrously. Maybe I am picky about my shoes (OK, I am!), but none of the repliKates I have purchased have been comfortable, with the exception of my nude heels. I just want to clarify that I have normal yet sensitive feet, no Hobbit toes here.
Kate’s Favorite Shoes, not Loved by Alaina:
I bought the Sebago Balas, daydreaming of racing a yacht with William and Kate; the wind in my face and my hands at the wheel of the boat. Ha. As soon as I put them on, I knew we weren’t in paradise. They were too tight and rubbed my heel. Even with some moleskin on the heel, they hurt. So obviously, I should have purchased them in a different size.
I also bought a repliKate of the Stuart Weitzman Corkswoons from Sears, and returned them for a larger size, but was still disappointed in their fit. They were the right price, but they didn’t feel good, so I was heartbroken when I returned them to the store.
While bored at the office, I surfed the web for good shopping deals and I bought a repliKate of the Jimmy Choo Vamp’s from Michael Kors. They were horrifically gaudy and uncomfortable. My husband thought they were hideous and didn’t understand them (I usually wear flats, so these were a whole new ball game for me.) My limping around the house didn’t make them look any more beautiful, so they got the boot from my closet.
Before Christmas, I purchased a pair of repliKate Stuart Weitzman Half ‘N Half boots via Lands’ End. Besides getting lost in the mail, the boots were really flat and uncomfortable. Again, a major disappointment for me because I love riding boots and these could have been worn for years.
Two years ago, I found the perfect repliKate of the Aquatalia Rogue boots at DSW (random!) I even added a cushioned pad to the bottom for extra comfort, but it didn’t help. The shoe was too narrow. I tried to smile through the pain while wearing them at work, and found it didn’t help.
Wow! I’ve never realized how many repliKate shoes I’ve purchased over the years that went south. Is there any hope to wear the shoes of a Duchess?
Do you wear any of Kate’s shoes? Can you recommend any of her styles that fit well? Let me know and I’ll give them a whirl.
Always, Alaina
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About
Fashion Files offers a retrospective look at Duchess Kate's sartorial choices. AuthorAlaina is a stateside Anglophile, obviously living on the wrong side of the pond! Besides loving all things royal, she also enjoys playing Scrabble, sending (and receiving!) handwritten notes, shopping for repliKates, traveling locally and internationally, finding new used book stores, and spending time with her own Prince Charming! Alaina also loves e-meeting new people and she looks forward to hearing from you – alaina1214@gmail.com |