The Royal Fashionista: How Kate Middleton Champions Charities Through Style
The Duchess of Fashion: Kate Middleton's Sartorial Power and Influence
In a world where fashion is not just a form of self-expression, but also a powerful tool for diplomacy and social change, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, reigns supreme. With her impeccable style and flair for making bold statements through her wardrobe choices, she has single-handedly transformed the British fashion industry into a global powerhouse.
Since joining the Royal Family, Kate's influence on fashion has been nothing short of remarkable. The so-called 'Kate effect' is a phenomenon that sees items worn by the Princess sell out in minutes and catapults struggling brands to international fame. It's no wonder then that designers and labels scramble to dress her for high-profile events and charity engagements.
But what makes Kate's influence truly unique is not just her ability to make fashion trends, but also her thoughtful and intentional approach to using fashion as a tool for social change. Whether it's promoting British designers, supporting female-led brands, or making bold statements about sustainability, Kate's wardrobe choices are always carefully curated to send a message.
"Royals have always used fashion to boost their own profile and to boost the profile of the causes they want to support," says fashion director Bethan Holt in the documentary "Kate: Judge My Work Not My Clothes." "Princess Diana did this particularly brilliantly. She would be visiting a charity and wearing a brilliant outfit that would make the front pages the next day and automatically shine a light on those charities."
But Kate's approach is different. Instead of using fashion to draw attention to herself, she uses it to amplify the voices and causes she cares about. "You have to be such a diplomat if you're going to walk the royal tightrope because you have to watch what you say at all times," says Jennie Bond, a royal broadcaster and journalist. "And so if you can't say it, perhaps you can wear it."
A case in point is Kate's outfit for the Heads Together campaign in 2017. Designer Amanda Wakeley notes that Kate's decision to play down her own fashion choices was a deliberate attempt to draw attention away from herself and onto the cause. "I love the way that she played down what she was wearing," Wakeley says. "She said, 'Don't focus on my clothes, focus on what we're talking about.'"
But behind every outfit is a story of careful consideration and thoughtfulness. Historian Dr. Tessa Dunlop notes that Kate's wardrobe choices are often designed to send subtle messages about the causes she supports. "When Kate wears something, literally, those dresses fly off the peg – sometimes at the rate of one a minute," she says. "You actually see the seeding of Kate as this 'secret weapon' on the diplomatic stage as early as 2015."
That's when Kate first wore Chinese red to a State Banquet, making a subtle but powerful statement about her intentions. Dr. Dunlop notes that Kate's wardrobe choices are often a way of communicating without speaking directly. "The wardrobe does part of her work: it always has for royals, right back to the stunning portraits of Elizabeth I in Tudor times."
Kate's influence on fashion is not just limited to high-end designers and luxury labels. In fact, she has been known to wear more affordable brands like Reiss, Beulah London, and Faithfull the Brand, catapulting them to international fame. Maternity label Seraphine saw a 400 per cent increase in sales after Kate was spotted wearing one of its dresses.
Years later, the 'Kate effect' remains as strong as ever. Her support continues to have a profound impact on brands – big and small, luxury and affordable. Despite Kensington Palace announcing it would no longer disclose details of Kate's outfits, they continue to sell out. This was particularly evident on World Mental Health Day in 2023 when Kate attended an official engagement wearing the 'Issy Star' earrings by Scottish jewellery brand Ear Sass.
The delicate 18-carat gold-plated earrings, priced at £26, were a gift to Kate, designed as a heartfelt tribute by the brand's founder, Sophie McGown, to her cousin Issy Phipps. Issy tragically took her own life in April that year, and £5 from every pair sold is donated to the mental health charity Brave Mind.
Kate's decision to wear the earrings had a profound impact. "Having Catherine's support feels beyond words, especially after she wore the Issy Star earrings on World Mental Health Day," Sophie told The Scholarly Note.com. "To say it meant the world to us as a family would be an understatement."
The Princess's endorsement sparked a surge in sales, raising £17,000 for Brave Mind and catapulting the brand to new heights. But Kate's influence goes beyond just supporting struggling brands. She also uses her platform to promote female-led designers and brands, making a concerted effort to support British fashion.
Last week, the Princess of Wales visited a silk mill in Suffolk wearing a suit by the British fashion designer, Bella Freud. Sudbury Silk Mills is a family-run weaving mill that has been an integral part of the British textile industry for over 300 years. Touchingly, the pattern also featured the Prince of Wales check, an apparent tribute to her husband, Prince William.
The clothes Kate picks out have the power to speak volumes, or allow her to fade into the background, depending on what she needs them to do. "The Princess of Wales has always been interested in charity work, right from back when she was Kate Middleton at the University of St Andrews," says journalist Afua Hagan. "Famously, the moment we are told William knew Catherine was 'the one' was when she was participating in a charity fashion show and she was wearing that see-through dress."
But Kate's influence on fashion is not just limited to promoting British designers or supporting female-led brands. She also uses her platform to make bold, political statements about sustainability. When she attended the Earthshot prize with William, she wore a fluorescent green, strapless dress rented through a site called Her.
"It wasn't only green in colour, it was green in its providence as well," says Bethan Holt. "She had rented it through a site called Her." It was the first time a royal had rented a dress for an event and made a powerful message about the importance of sustainable fashion.
"A princess wearing a rented dress is such a powerful statement," says Amanda Wakeley. "Just because people want to know about what she's wearing doesn't mean that they don't want to know about what she's doing. She does incredible work while looking incredible. Surely that's win-win."
In conclusion, Kate Middleton's influence on fashion is a force to be reckoned with. Whether it's promoting British designers, supporting female-led brands, or making bold statements about sustainability, her wardrobe choices are always carefully curated to send a message. As Dr. Tessa Dunlop notes, "The Princess of Wales has a sartorial power that is unmatched by any other royal in recent history."