Kate's international style: The Duchess of Cambridge's wardrobe of global designers

July 06, 2016

<h2>NAEEM KHAN (INDIA)</h2>
How did Indian-American designer Naeem Khan feel when he saw Kate wearing one of his looks during her royal tour of India in 2016? Lucky! "She makes it a point to honour the designer[s] from that part of the world - and I was lucky enough to be chosen for her to wear something from me," he said. Though the designer says this particular collection was inspired by Mexico, the blue-and-white floral motif still contains many Indian influences. The duchess wore this romantic dress on the final day of her tour, when she and William recreated a magical moment experienced years earlier by Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal. Kate let the dress do the talking by pairing it with simple accessories: nude pumps, gold earrings and a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

KELZANG WANGMO (BHUTAN)

In a perfect display of Kate's knack for bringing together traditional pieces from her host country and complementary international wares, the style icon attended an archery event in Bhutan looking both fashion-forward and celebratory of the Bhutanese culture. Local weaver Kelzang Wangmo was the artisan behind Kate's Kira-style skirt, the fabric for which generally takes five people three months to create. "I'm so happy," she said in a video after finding out that her piece had been chosen. Kelzang is no stranger to creating highly publicized tapestries, as she also supplies designs to the Queen of Bhutan, Jetsun Pema - also known as the "Kate of the Himalayas." The duchess topped off the skirt with a Paul & Joe top and accessorized with nude pumps and $7000 lavender Amethyst pear and oval drop earrings from Kiki McDonough.

Photo: © Getty Images

<CATHERINE WALKER (ENGLAND)>
For the National Service of Thanksgiving church service at the Guildhall as part of the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations, the royal renowned for recycling the pieces in her closet treated herself to something new! Catherine Walker runs one of the country's last couture houses, and is the sole designer able to say she dressed both Princess Diana and Kate. The delicate baby-blue coat dress, which the duchess paired with nude suede pumps and a floral-accented Jane Taylor hat, featured white lace panelling on either side of the centre zipper. Kate has worn Catherine Walker on numerous occasions, and slipped into another favourite a few days later at the 2016 Order of the Garter ceremony. The red skirt suit was a repeat from Kate's 2011 trip to Canada.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

MISSONI (ITALY)

A label that pops up in Kate's wardrobe from time to time is Italian fashion house Missoni, renowned for revolutionizing knitwear with wavy patterns, geometric patchworks and colourful motifs. While she slipped into one of the brand's signature zigzag-patterned coats to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme in July 2016, the duchess also favours more demure pieces from the house's collections. Back in March 2016, she stepped out in a denim-hued M Missoni coat with embellished hemlines to open the new EACH charity shop in Holt, where she perused the hat section and purchased a book for Prince George. Kate paired her designer coat with navy-blue accessories - suede pumps and a coordinated clutch. The style-savvy royal has worn this particular piece to a wide range of events, from weddings to outings with the Queen, and its popularity led Missoni to reissue the coat over the years.

Photo: © Getty Images

<h2>ROKSANDA ILINCIC (SERBIA)</h2>
One of Kate's favourite designers, Serbian-born Central Saint Martin's alumnus Roksanda IIincic is a shoo-in for many of Kate's most important events, from her much-anticipated arrival in LA in 2011 and tour of the Australian outback in 2014 to this colour-block creation that she selected for a street party celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday. The duchess was applauded for having fun with colour - summery blue and seashell pink, in this case - while sticking to the streamlined silhouette she favours.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>ZARA (SPAIN)</h2>
Spanish high-street giant Zara met French high fashion when Kate teamed its crystal necklace with Roland Mouret's Ella gown for the premiere of <em>Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom</em>. The duchess also wore a red Zara jacket over her white lace Dolce & Gabbana dress for a horse parade celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday - just another example of her savvy when mixing high and low fashion.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>PRABAL GURUNG (SINGAPORE)</h2>
Fashionistas called Kate's sensational purple-and-white floral printed dress "daring" and "fabulous" when she debuted it on the Southeast Asia Diamond Jubilee tour in 2012. Not only was it elegant and fashion-forward, but the design also paid tribute to the President of the Republic of Singapore, whom she met while wearing the Prabal Gurung piece. And when the New York-based, Singapore-born designer put the dress up for sale days later, it naturally sold out in an hour.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>DANIELLA ISSA HELAYEL (BRAZIL)</h2>
Who can forget the gorgeous blue silk wrap dress that Kate wore for her engagement announcement back in 2010? London-based but Brazilian-born Daniella was the woman behind it. The Issa London number flew off the shelves after the duchess donned it, and the Phylis dress was restocked in 2015. The most striking feature of the wrap-waisted dress was just how well it matched her newest accessory: Princess Diana's stunning sapphire ring.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>EMILIA WICKSTEAD (NEW ZEALAND)</h2>
New Zealander Emilia was regularly called upon to dress the royal bump during both Kate's pregnancies, as her signature fitted bodice and fuller skirt proved perfect for the royal mum-to-be, but the relationship didn't end there. The designer was an obvious choice on the duchess's 2014 tour of Australia and New Zealand, where this teal pleated frock was the first outfit she donned by a local NZ designer as she touched down at Dunedin International Airport. She paired the look with suede pumps and a Jane Taylor hat, plus a Fern brooch paying homage to one of the country's greatest symbols. The designer has described her style as "classic with a twist," perfect for Prince William's sophisticated yet fun wife.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>REBECCA TAYLOR (NEW ZEALAND)</h2>
Thrifty fashionista Kate stayed true to her principles by wearing her tried-and-tested tweet skirt suit by New Zealand-born Rebecca Taylor for her last day on the island during her 2014 tour. The ensemble features frayed trim at the seams, bracelet-length sleeves and chiffon and sequin floral embellishments at the neck. The duchess accessorized the look with sapphire and diamond drop earrings, a perfect match for her dazzling blue engagement ring.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>SALONI LODHA (INDIA)</h2>
Kate was on home soil but just days away from jetting off to India and Bhutan when she thoughtfully wore this sheer blue polka-dot gown by India-born British designer Saloni to a reception for expatriates from her soon-to-be host country. The floor-length number is called the Mary Illusion Dot Dress and features a high ruffled neck, long sleeves and a cinched-in waist with a banded belt. This particular look reflects the duchess's ability to try something new while staying true to her contemporary elegance by making sure some of her signature features are present (e.g. a cinched waist).
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>ANITA DONGRE (INDIA)</h2>
This multicolour print georgette tunic dress was deemed perfect for Kate's first day in India, when she tried a bat at the country's number-one sport, cricket. An aide revealed the duchess's enthusiasm for the dress, saying "she wanted to wear a local designer at the earliest possible opportunity." Mumbai designer Anita told <em><strong>Hello!</strong></em> she "had no idea" Kate would wear her design. "I was absolutely thrilled and pleasantly surprised to see her in it. I've always admired her elegance, impeccable style and poise. She has always been my dream muse."
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

ERDEM (CANADA)

Canadian-born, London-based designer Erdem Moralioglu has become a favourite of the duchess, from glitzy gala outings in his floor-length florals to this lace-embellished dress, which she wore during a 2011 outing in Quebec - home to Erdem's hometown of Montreal. As per usual, Kate kept her accessories simple (trusty nude pumps and clutch) to let the dress steal the show. Kate's decision to embark on her first tour as the Duchess of Cambridge sans stylist was considered a risky one, but the charming royal proved her sartorial savvy, especially thanks to a number of Erdem looks. The award-winning designer, whose debut flagship opened in London's Mayfair in 2015, was also a frequent collaborator during Kate's pregnancies, when his patterned shifts suited her growing bump.

Photo: © Getty Images

<h2>DOLCE & GABBANA (ITALY)</h2>
When Kate is craving a dose of lace, she turns to Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana. And while she recently wowed on her first trip to Royal Ascot in a full-skirted, white lace number by the design duo, she's been known to wear a variety of hues and styles. This eggplant number was particularly striking paired with matching suede accessories and her signature Chelsea blowout at a creative industry event to celebrate the cultural collaboration between the UK and China in October 2015. Bellissima!
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>LUISA SPAGNOLI (ITALY)</h2>
The queen of recycling wore this red peplum jacket and pencil skirt suit for the second time while Down Under in Christchurch, New Zealand. Kate showed the versatility of the ensemble, which she'd first worn with a black turtle neck, tights and boots, by changing it up with black suede pumps and styling her hair in an elegant half-up do. She purchased the bold scarlet outfit from Hollie de Keyser, a boutique in London's Knightsbridge.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>ROLAND MOURET (FRANCE)</h2>
The duchess made this intense and wildly popular royal-blue hue her own in June 2016 in a form-fitting gown by French designer Roland Mouret, which she wore to the 40th anniversary gala for SportsAid. Along with its sleek shoulder cutouts, the floor-length Nansen number is one of her boldest fashion choices to date. It's also one of the pricier additions to her wardrobe, ringing in at $3,900, but a good investment as all eyes were on Kate in this daring design. The brunette beauty kept her jewellery to a minimum save for her spectacular Trinity de Cartier earrings, featuring 8 carats of diamonds and valued at a whopping USD$56,500.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>ANNA SUI (USA)</h2>
This was Kate's assured choice for her visit to the Bihu Festival Celebration in India's Kaziranga National Park. She flirted with floaty florals in the silk-chiffon number from Anna Sui's AW15 collection. Green statement earrings, her faithful sling-back wedges and signature loose waves completed the look. It was the first time the duchess had worn Anna Sui, renowned for her bohemian, often psychedelic prints. The green-and-blue printed dress was perfect for keeping the royal covered and cool in the heat while showing her playful side at the festivities.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>BANANA REPUBLIC (USA)</h2>
Reflecting one of the season's biggest trends - and her love of high-street fashion - Kate paired a fluttery Goat Fashion blouse with a boldly printed skirt from American mass retailer Banana Republic as she joined forces with Princes William and Harry to launch the Heads Together charity. Retailing for $195, the graphic-printed A-line skirt suits a number of Kate's style musts: practical, demure in cut and an easy closet staple. She kept the loud skirt sophisticated with a graphic print comprised of tame hues like blue, navy, white and grey. It's no wonder stars like Freida Pinto and Melissa McCarthy have been rocking similar ensembles on the red carpet.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>TORY BURCH (USA)</h2>
This floral mesh gown, embroidered with green, orange, brown and white beading, saw the duchess dial up the colour while embracing local tradition for a private dinner with Bhutan's king and queen at Lingkana Palace in 2016. The classic column shape, which was also worn by Hollywood star Drew Barrymore, is similar to that of Bhutan's national dress, the kira. Tory told <em><strong>Hello!</strong></em> that she was "a big fan" of Kate's and "thrilled" she'd chosen to wear her dress, adding that "she looked beautiful."
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>RALPH LAUREN (USA)</h2>
Kate gave all-american glamour her best when she donned this houndstooth shirtdress by US icon Ralph Lauren to visit the Anna Freud Centre. It being her first official engagement since giving birth to Princess Charlotte, the world waited excitedly to see what the duchess would wear and she certainly didn't disappoint. With a thin belt to show off her post-baby waistline and a slit that gave revellers a glimpse of her thighs when she walked, the $2,500 outfit screamed classic cool. Kate finished off the look with black pumps and a matching clutch, plus her latest accessory at the time: new bangs!
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

<h2>MICHAEL KORS (USA)</h2>
If this coat by American designer Michael Kors looked familiar to sartorially savvy fashion fans, it's because they've seen it before. Kate first kept chills at bay in the tweed piece with its feminine, flared skirt during her 2014 tour of Australia, and she brought the look back in 2016 as she opened a new children's play area at Hampton Court's Magic Garden in west London. And though the outerwear and her nude pumps weren't new, the royal's half-up hairstyle attracted rave reviews. This wasn't her first time wearing the designer from across the pond, as Kate also favours the Virgin Wool Plaid Blazer and matching skirt, a vintage-inspired suit with equestrian details that she wore to church in Sandringham at the end of 2015.
<p>Photo: © Getty Images</p>

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG (USA)

The American icon has some royal connections of her own, having been married to a German Prince and formerly held the title of Her Serene Highness Princess Diane of Fürstenberg, but she got to experience the power of the 'Kate Effect' after the royal wore one of her signature DVF wrap dresses in Australia. Just eight minutes after Kate wore the frock to meet with local girl guides for a tree planting ceremony, the navy-and-white geometric print wrap number, which retails for $540, had sold out at dvf.com. Kate paired the dress with her trusty Stuart Weitzman cork and suede wedges, a staple on her overseas trip. This wasn't the first time the duchess wore the US designer's wares. She was also a big fan of a particular green silk dress with a waist tie, which she wore at a Los Angeles party in July 2011 and later on the same year for a pre-wedding celebration for Zara Phillips.