Day 4 of Royal Visit: What Kate Middleton wore today
It was a designer déjà vu as the Duchess of Cambridge stepped out of the HMCS Montreal wearing a royal blue Jacquenta dress by Canadian-born designer Erdem Moralioglu. It’s the second time Kate has worn one of Erdem’s designs since she touched down on Canadian soil on Thursday. Here’s a little bit more about her outfit.
The dress
The royal blue, knee-length dress features floral lace detailing across the soldiers and through the sleeves, which cut just above her elbow. It is part of the designer’s Pre-Fall collection. She wore her hair loose and topped the look off with nude LK Bennett Sledge 2 pumps. Kate started the nine-day Canadian tour wearing an navy blue floral lace Erdem dress last Thursday.
The designer
Kate Middleton paid homage to Quebec through her fashion choice on Sunday. Erdem was born in Montreal and studied fashion at Toronto’s Ryerson University.
He landed in London in 2000 to study fashion at the Royal College of Art. After a brief return to North America, he moved back to the U.K. to launch his own label. His designs are sold at high-end department stores around the world.
Wardrobe change
By mid-afternoon Sunday, Kate had switched outfits, stepping out in a pale-coloured Vanessa sleeveless crepe dress by Joseph for an appearance in Levis, Que.
The fashion show so far
“Kate's fashion on this tour has been a pleasant surprise - she's paying tribute to Canada, her roots and her husband's family and tradition,” says Angela Smith, fashion commentator for Entertainment Tonight Canada. “I'd say she's transitioning quite well into Royal wear.”
The royal highness kicked off the nine-day Canadian royal tour, with her husband Prince William, in a navy blazer by Toronto-based design duo Smythe les Vestes and a navy floral lace dress by Erdem Moralioglu.
On Canada Day, Kate matched the crowds by wearing a cream/white dress by British label, Reiss along with a red maple leaf fascinator designed by Sylvia Fletcher at Lock & Co. Royal fashion fans were quick to notice that Kate had worn ‘The Nannette’ before, an outfit that caused hysteria last year when she was pictured wearing it in formal engagement portraits by Mario Testino.
The Duchess of Cambridge finished off her first ensemble with a pair of red pumps, a fan clutch from Anya Hindmarch and The Queen's Maple Leaf brooch. The Queen, as Princess Elizabeth, wore the brooch on her first visit to Canada in 1951 and again on Canada Day last year.
Later in the evening, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge headed back to Parliament Hill for an evening show of festivities. While Prince William went tie-less, Kate changed into a stunning long-sleeve purple Issa dress with a V-neck.
On Saturday, Kate wore a grey, V-back Kensington dress, designed by the fashion house one of the late Princess Diana’s favourite designers, Catherine Walker.
Kate Middleton has quickly become a fashion icon. The ‘Kate Effect’ describes the Duchess of Cambridge’s influence on the fashion world. Both the Smythe blazer and the Erdem dress instantly became sought-after and must-have pieces for fashionistas.
“We've seen quite a growth in her looks since pre-wedding days - Kate was a big fan of affordable, wearable lines -- jeans, flats, equestrian boots, and layered pieces,” says Smith. “Now, we've got her in classic, elegant day and night wear.”
Smith added that she hopes that Kate will continue to wear more casual pieces that suit a 29-year-old woman from accessible stores like Zara and Top Shop.
With files from the Canadian Press.
