Royals in Europe: Whose style are we searching to steal?

When it comes to the most talked about royals, it’s usually those from the British royal family who steal the limelight. On the European catwalk though, a few of the other royal ladies deserve a look in. These duchesses and princesses not only look fabulous when they step out of the palace, but they’re giving all of us some fashion inspiration too.

Image credit: Officer of the Governor General, via Wikimedia Commons

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, England

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A post shared by Stella McCartney (@stellamccartney) on May 19, 2018 at 11:58am PDT

There are 22,000 monthly global searches of the term “Meghan Markle style” — it seems that she’s made some global fashion fans! And of course, we’re all eager to copy her look.

Understandably, one of her most memorable looks to date was the stunning silk gown that she wore following the luncheon after her wedding. After she was photographed in this look, high-street designers began to replicate the look, knowing that she’d be setting the next trends. Research revealed searches for ‘halter neck dresses’ were up 40% following the royal wedding and the term ‘halter neck tops’ increased 21% week-on-week as people tried to replicate her look on the special day.

It's not only her outfits that have caused a storm either. When her sparkling diamond engagement ring was making headlines, everyone else wanted to feel like a duchess too. In fact, global search engine data reveals a 50% increase in searches for ‘three stone ring’ from October to November 2017.

Following her official engagement announcement, Meghan showed up at a Nottingham event with a tote bag from brand Strathberry. Following this appearance, a 398% increase in searches for ‘Strathberry’ occurred from November to December 2017.

Queen Letizia, Spain

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A post shared by Queen Letizia of Spain (@queenletizia) on May 4, 2017 at 7:33am PDT

Well-loved for her wardrobe of high-street bargains and high-end designers, Queen Letizia’s looks are always enviable and on point.

Take it back to King Willem-Alexander’s 50^th birthday in The Netherlands, for example, when she wore a red one-shoulder Stella McCartney cape gown with matching heels. She opted for red again when she attended the state banquet at Buckingham Palace in 2017, turning heads as always.

Also as part of her state visit, Letizia wore a beautiful floral skirt from one of her favourite designers, Carolina Herrera. After this appearance, searches for the term ‘Carolina Herrera skirt’ rose by 50% from June to July of the same year.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, England

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A post shared by Catherine Middleton (@catherinemidleton) on Oct 10, 2018 at 2:05pm PDT

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Research has revealed that she was the most likely to convince American shoppers to purchase a UK brand, and the Duchess of Cambridge has built up a loyal fashion following over the years. In fact, her influence on fashion even has its own name — ‘the Kate effect’.

It’s not only the UK that appreciates her, either - when she wears an item of clothing or an accessory, it reportedly increases the desirability among 38% of US shoppers. In October 2018, she rocked up to the Victoria and Albert museum wearing a cute tweed dress. After this appearance, everyone wanted a similar garment! In fact, search volume between September and October for the term ‘tweed dress’ rose by 50%.

Crown Princess Victoria, Sweden

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A post shared by maxjenny! (@maxjenny) on Mar 5, 2018 at 11:55pm PST

There’s no denying that Crown Princess Victoria has her own style, but even she has succumbed to “the Kate effect”. Victoria was photographed in a mini navy pleated dress in 2015, the same one that the Duchess of Cambridge had worn a year prior.

Her wardrobe is recognisable by the vibrant colours and bright prints. At a sustainability awards in August 2017, Princess Victoria decided to wear a cocktail dress from designer Maxjenny. Not only did people want to take her picture, but they wanted a similar dress for their own it seems. Searches of the designer rose by 222% from July to August of the same year.

Crown Princess Mary, Denmark

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A post shared by HRH Crown Princess Mary (@hrhprincessmaryofdenmark) on May 17, 2018 at 6:20am PDT

Following her picturesque wedding to Prince Frederik in 2004, Australian Princess Mary was thrown into the spotlight.

She's known for her fairy tale dresses, statement dress coats and pillbox hat — often being compared to Jackie Kennedy. Due to her love of fashion, it’s no surprise that other women want to channel her look too. In May 2018, she attended the Copenhagen Concert Hall in Denmark wearing a blouse and pleated skirt by designer Charlotte Eskildsen. The designer will have been pleased for this exposure — searches for ‘Charlotte Eskilden’ rose 51% after Princess Mary was spotted wearing the brand.

Royal lady	The look	Increase in searches*
Duchess of Sussex	Strathberry tote bag	+398%
Queen Letizia	Carolina Herrera skirt	+50%
Duchess of Cambridge	Tweed dress	+50%
Crown Princess Victoria	Maxjenny	+222%
Princess Mary	Charlotte Eskildsen	+51%

*Comparing global search volume from the month before appearance to the month of.

So it's not only Kate who has an effect on the buying habits of the public - it seems royals from the world over are influencing our shopping habits.

Lead image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Royals in Europe: Whose style are we searching to steal?

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