The Duchess of Cambridge may be preparing to leave Canada, but the effects of her visit will linger for some time – especially on the Canadian fashion scene.
FULL COVERAGE: Royal Visit 2016
On Wednesday, Kate wore a dove grey alpaca coat while visiting Yukon with Prince William by Canadian designer Bojana Sentaler. Much like the striking red Preen by Thornton Bregazzi dress she wore the night before, the luxurious belted coat with shawl collar almost immediately sold out online.
“I am especially thrilled that she chose the signature ribbed sleeves wrap coat from my collection, a true Sentaler trademark,” the designer said in a statement. “She wore it with such grace and elegance and I couldn’t be happier.”
WATCH: Global News co-anchor Sophie Lui discusses what Kate wore in Canada
Sentaler is also a favourite of Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.
It’s no surprise that an item of clothing seen on the Duchess would lead to worldwide demand; it’s what the fashion industry has come to call “the Kate effect.” And Canadian designers are happy to reap the rewards.
READ MORE: Royal Visit 2016 Day 8 – Will and Kate end tour in Victoria, B.C.
Andrea Lenczner and Christie Smythe, the designers behind Smythe, noted to Vogue that they see a “surge in demand” every time the Duchess dons their navy one-button blazer. She initially wore it on her 2011 trip to Canada, and in a move that has made her all the more relatable to the public, has been spotted in it several times since, most recently on a tour of Cornwall in September.
Nova Scotia-born jewellery designer Shelley MacDonald is also feeling the Kate effect this week after the Duchess wore a pair of her earrings in Yukon. The “ulu earrings,” so called because their design is inspired by the Inuit knife of the same name, are made of bronze with a frosted finish, and were easy to spot in pictures since Kate was wearing her signature dark locks pulled back.
“I am truly humbled and honoured,” the designer wrote on her Facebook page. “I am currently fielding a significant amount of orders, so I ask you to be patient with me as I respond to each one of you.”
READ MORE: Toronto designer Sentaler sold out after Kate wears alpaca coat
Middleton was also spotted wearing a distinctive platinum-and-diamond maple leaf brooch throughout the week. The brooch, on loan from the Queen, has a rich Canadian history. It was crafted by British Columbia-based jeweller William Histed for the wife of businessman George Weston before World War II. The original design featured two leaves. The story goes that Mrs. Weston was wearing the brooch at a garden party in the presence of the Queen Mother who was so taken with it that Mrs. Weston had it divided in two and gave one half to the royal.
The Duchess is also a longtime supporter of Canadian-born, London-based designer Erdem Moralioglu. She has worn his designs to formal events, on international tours and even wore the designer’s signature vivid prints during her last pregnancy.
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