We adore Kate Middleton's tasteful fashion, but even we can admit when the Duchess of Cambridge is bordering on boring or when she sticks too closely to her old reliables -- Alexander McQueen, Temperley, Jenny Packham, etc.
We're not the only ones who've noticed. William Tempest, a British designer who hasn't been worn by the duchess, told Grazia that he wishes she could take more risks on young British designers:
"I think it's great that she is sticking to British designers but they’re all big names like Mulberry and McQueen. It would be great if she supported younger British designers because she could and it would make a huge difference to them. She has the power to do that. It would be a risk for her to take but I think it’s one that she should take.
I don’t think that she is brave enough -- obviously because she’s now part of the Royal Family there’s all the protocol she has to follow and she is going to stay in line. If she met some young designers, then I think that she could potentially."
It's true that Kate has stuck closely to big name brands like McQueen and Mulberry, as well as Burberry. But she's has also taken chances on the rising stars in London, wearing pieces by Jonathan Saunders, Roksanda Ilincic, Erdem, Matthew Williamson and even Christopher Kane (although the light blue jacket she chose was the most un-Christopher Kane thing we'd ever seen).
Kate has even been commended by Henry Holland, another hot commodity in the British fashion scene, for including newer designers in her wardrobe.
But there are a few notable London talents who she hasn't chosen, including Mary Katrantzou, Meadham Kirchhoff, Marios Schwab, Mark Fast and Peter Pilotto. And unlike Michelle Obama, who catapulted Jason Wu and Prabal Gurung's careers, the names Kate has helped launch have been of the fast fashion variety, like Reiss and L.K. Bennett.
But is that Kate's job? Does a country's figurehead have a responsibility to promote homegrown talent, or should Kate just wear whatever she likes?
Does her fashion impress you?
