Princess Kate Is Designing Her Own Clothing in What Fashion Expert Calls a “Refreshingly Revolutionary Move”

When Princess Kate arrived in Scotland for a day out with Prince William on January 20, royal fashion fans initially assumed her new blue tartan coat was an Alexander McQueen style or a similar designer piece. But it was later confirmed that the princess herself collaborated on the design of her Chris Kerr coat, created with a special tartan she worked with heritage brand Johnstons of Elgin to create.

It was an interesting announcement from Kensington Palace, especially in the wake of last year’s media storm surrounding Princess Kate’s wardrobe. While a palace source later insisted the comments didn’t come from Kate herself, the insider originally claimed that the royal’s team would no longer be commenting on her clothing and suggested that the focus should only be on her work.

But Princess Kate has been putting a special focus on spotlighting the British textile industry in the past year, and in designing her own coat, the Telegraph’s fashion director Bethan Holt says the Princess of Wales was able to make a “profound” statement.

“This week’s coat design feels like the culmination of a year in which Catherine has sought to carve out her own way of engaging with fashion, an approach where she can use her clout to be supportive in a more profound way,” Holt wrote.