There is an old saying in fashion that goes: once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, but three times is a trend. Obviously Kate Middleton, now Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is very fond of the Alexander McQueen brand considering it was a Sarah Burton designed McQueen dress that she wore for what was probably the most televised wedding ever. Then last week in Canada, Catherine was spotted sporting a white with blue trim sailor dress also from the McQueen collection. So it was indeed a trend this past weekend when she attended the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) black tie gathering in Los Angeles wear another McQueen gown. Could it be that England’s future queen has found a label that suits her style more than any other?
There is no arguing that Brittan’s newest Duchess has quite a keen eye for style, and certainly Alexander McQueen is not the only label who has received a recent popularity boost thanks to Catherine’s wardrobe, but of all the brands that she sports McQueen is fast becoming the favorite. While the company is owned by the French conglomerate PPR and currently debuts its lines in Paris, Alexander McQueen’s label and style, like the late designer himself remain quintessentially British. This presents an interesting opportunity for the McQueen brand, a chance to push Burberry out of the spotlight of “true British fashion” that it has held a monopoly over these past few years.
Also not since William’s own mother Diana has there been a royal who the public at large identified so deeply with, and the fact that she has thus far embraced Alexander McQueen so confidently may allow the brand to shed it’s super chic niche reputation that many feel has kept a large portion of the British consumer market at a distance. Even if the label doesn’t heed the call and remains in France designing for the global market as a whole rather then a cultural one, it never hurts to have a future queen as one of your biggest devotees.
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