(LS) — When commoner Kate Middleton got engaged to British heir apparent Prince William, she struck gold. Now, everything she wears turns to gold for the fashion designer who made it, as women around the world rush out to buy anything she puts on her head, shoulders, or feet. Not every woman can be a princess, but plenty of them are trying to dress like one.
When Middleton wore a $1080 Burberry trench coat in February, it quickly disappeared from shelves throughout the United Kingdom and the United States. Americans might have thrown off the shackles of the monarchy 235 years ago, but the royals still rule the fashion sense of our women.
“No matter how liberated you are, every woman secretly wants to be a princess,” said Texan Michelle Buckles. “She has particular appeal because she’s a commoner, and she was his college sweetheart. If I had a billion dollars and a personal trainer, I’d dress exactly like her.”
This trend is nothing new, either. Middleton began dating Prince William when they were schoolmates at St. Andrew’s, and British women have been flocking to copy her style choices since as far back as 2007 when a Topshop dress she wore for her 25th birthday sold out within a day after she wore it.
Women seem to be sitting in front of their computers and rushing out to buy anything Middleton wears as soon as the pictures hit the Internet. When she attended a wedding in January, the $505 Libelula velvet coat she wore over her dress disappeared from racks within hours. There’s now a 300-person waiting list to get one. The $625 Issa dress she wore for her engagement photo shoot – also gone in 24 hours. The intense popularity of a red Luisa Spagnoli suit that Middleton wore even encouraged the designer to make red the signature color of her fall and winter line in 2010. Middleton can’t take credit for every fashion trend, however. The flared Hudson jeans she favors have long been a favorite of celebrities, like Jessica Alba and Sienna Miller.
Sometimes, the Middleton frenzy isn’t always pretty – it can get downright ugly. When the white topaz earrings Middleton wore in her official engagement photo went on sale at the Links store in New York, The New York Post reported that two women got into a fight over the last pair. And no, Real Housewife of New York City Bethany Frankel was not involved.
Seemingly, Middleton has embraced her role as the new “It” girl, just as her predecessor Prince Diana did 30 years ago when she was dating Prince Charles. Middleton has gone from a frumpy appearance that included pashminas and cardigans to a more form-fitting fashion sense featuring tight dresses and nipped-in jackets that accentuate her silhouette.
All the while, Middleton has been a boon for British designers as she favors affordable Burberry, Mulberry and Temperley lines along with more upscale High Street boutiques like Topshop, Jigsaw and Reiss.
The Middelton fashion frenzy should only heighten after her wedding to William on April 29 at Westminster Abbey. The Wall Street Journal reported that 2.4 billion people – that’s 35 percent of the world’s population – are expected to watch, making it the most viewed television show in history. The wedding is ground-shaking news. CNN will send 400 staffers to the event, while it only currently has 50 employees covering the earthquake and subsequent fallout in Japan.
Moreover, the interest in Middleton isn’t limited to just clothes. Guess what BabyNames.com predicts the most popular girl’s baby name for 2011 will be? Yep, Kate, indeed.
All of this hullabaloo makes me wonder. Is it possible that a member of the British Royal Family would ever sign an endorsement deal and do commercials or release her own line of clothes, shoes, or perfume?
“She’s a princess. No endorsement deals!” replied Buckles.
In the next few years, I think we’re going to find out one way or the other.
