The positive buzz around princess-to-be Kate Middleton and her fashionable attire has had a halo effect on the apparel industry. But what will happen once the wedding is over?
To date, Middleton’s choices have spurred a number of fashion trends. Her embrace of the eye-catching “fascinator” accessory has lead to a boost in sales of the headwear in the US. David’s Bridal recently reports strong sales of ”fascinator” style headwear and widened its availability from select stores to all stores.
Her choice of a white Burberry trench coat earlier this year led to the item selling out instantly on the retailer’s website. Her blue dress by designer Issa that she wore during the engagement announcement sold out at Harvey Nichols within 24 hours. The fashion sense of William’s mother, Princess Diana, was also dissected by the media, but the Internet circulates the looks faster allowing for a more immediate impact.
Bridal designers and retailers are watching her choices at the wedding closely to make sure they can have similar items in stock for this summer’s brides who want a fairy tale wedding.
Upscale retailers will win from the new princess’s outfits being heralded online and in newspapers around the world, according to Barclays Corporate. Premium clothing retailers are expected to gain nearly 30 percent in sales over the next three years, in part due to the Middleton effect. Barclays compared Middleton’s influence to that of First Lady Michelle Obama’s impact on J. Crew‘s sales. For example, J. Crew has enjoyed the uptick in sales when Obama dons the brand, such as when the retailer sold out within a day after Obama wore a particular cardigan, and the company benefits from the association with a stylish First Lady.
The fascination with everything Kate will likely only intensify as she takes on her high profile role as princess, just as it did for Diana.
The big retail success will be associated with all the souvenirs, meals, hotel rooms, bus, train, airline, museum and theatre tickets and other purchases that will result from surge of tourists stemming from the success of the Royal Wedding. One billion people saw this spectacle on TV. No one does the past better than the “Old Firm” aka the British Royal Family. They do it with unrivaled pomp (even the policemen outside Buckingham Palace were wearing white cotton gloves) and exquisite precision (every event in the complex procedure was on time to the second almost). This grand spectacle helps to secure the Royal Family’s future, by polishing up the past and converting it into new tourist revenues. Well played, and God Save the Duchess of Cambridge!
Interesting read!