British Monarchy’s Fashion Mantle Passes to Younger Generation

Britain's Catherine, the Princess of Wales on her way to the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London, Britain, 19 September 2022. (EPA)
Britain's Catherine, the Princess of Wales on her way to the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London, Britain, 19 September 2022. (EPA)
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British Monarchy’s Fashion Mantle Passes to Younger Generation

Britain's Catherine, the Princess of Wales on her way to the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London, Britain, 19 September 2022. (EPA)
Britain's Catherine, the Princess of Wales on her way to the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London, Britain, 19 September 2022. (EPA)

The death of Queen Elizabeth II marks a shift in the relationship between fashion and the British monarchy, with younger members of the royal family, notably Catherine, Princess of Wales, likely taking on a greater public role.

The late queen had a precise fashion formula - elegant coats, trim hats and square-heeled shoes shaped her familiar silhouette, as well as her handbag, which became a symbol of stability.

"The Queen was aware of how useful a tool style was to help convey her image as monarch," said Alicia Healey, who worked in the Queen's household for four years and has since written a book called "Wardrobe Wisdom from a Royal Lady's Maid: how to dress and take care of your clothes".

"I think, to a certain extent, her clothes were a uniform for her."

While the fashion choices of the new monarch, King Charles III and his wife Queen Consort Camilla, will inevitably attract attention, they are both in their seventies, meaning camera lenses will be focused more on Charles' children, William and Harry - and their wives.

That could see a shift in the royals' association with fashion from formal structures to more relatable - if restrained - styles.

With Harry and wife Meghan now based in California, William's wife Catherine, popularly known as Kate, is set to hold the public's sartorial gaze, recalling the era of William's late mother Diana when she was Princess of Wales.

"I think, really, people are interested in the younger members of the family and what they are wearing because they relate much more to us, to what we wear to parties or to work," said fashion critic and historian Suzy Menkes.

Tricky for Kate

Styles worn by Kate, 40, have been known to spark buying frenzies. The polka dotted dress by Jenny Packham she wore in 2013 after the birth of eldest child Prince George subsequently sold out. It was seen as an homage to Diana, also photographed in polka dots when returning home with baby Prince William.

Kate's style is usually understated but when she dresses up it generates excitement, fashion experts say.

"Whenever the future queen wears something that is a little bit sexy and glamorous, people get very excited about it because Kate isn't really someone who dresses like that," said Menkes, who describes her style as casual but smart.

"It's interesting to see how that's going to change and whether she is going to go up a notch and look slightly more glamorous," she said.

But doing so could be at odds with King Charles' sustainability messaging.

"Charles' sustainability push calls for a little bit more conscientious fashion," said Jennifer Castro, a West Palm, Florida-based digital marketer, whose fashion blog RoyalStyleWatch has more than 67,000 Instagram followers.

"Charles is someone that has had the same camel coat for 25 years - he's very much about purchasing quality items that will last," Castro said.

Never missed the mark

Gerald Bodmer has lost count of the glossy Launer handbags Queen Elizabeth II bought from his company through her seven-decade reign, but the classic, hand-stitched accessories have been part of her wardrobe since the 1950s and 60s.

He estimates she ordered around a dozen over the past 40 years, sticking to only a handful of models, such as the top-handled Traviata, in a subtle trapezoid shape, which sells for around 2,090 pounds ($2,390).

In her last public photo, with Britain's new Prime Minister Liz Truss, she carried a pre-1980s Launer bag, while the creamy vanilla-colored bespoke Lisa hybrid model she sported at William and Kate's wedding in 2011 sparked such a flurry of interest the company's website crashed, according to the label.

For many, the accessory will be forever linked to the Queen.

"I never noticed any handbags except those worn by Her Majesty," said Menkes. "Other people, of course, must have handbags, but they haven’t quite entered my soul."

The Queen set a high bar when it came to striking the right tone, said Elizabeth Holmes, author of 'HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style'.

"It's incredibly savvy of her to have recognized the power of clothes and harness that to promote sort of the monarchy and support her royal duties," Holmes said.

"There was never a moment where the Queen missed the mark - where she was dressed inappropriately, where her wardrobe failed in some way. And for 70 years to be that consistent? I think we take it for granted."



Nike's New CEO Plans to Go Back to Basics in Brand Overhaul Effort

The Nike swoosh logo is seen outside the store on 5th Ave in New York, New York, US, March 19, 2019. (Reuters)
The Nike swoosh logo is seen outside the store on 5th Ave in New York, New York, US, March 19, 2019. (Reuters)
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Nike's New CEO Plans to Go Back to Basics in Brand Overhaul Effort

The Nike swoosh logo is seen outside the store on 5th Ave in New York, New York, US, March 19, 2019. (Reuters)
The Nike swoosh logo is seen outside the store on 5th Ave in New York, New York, US, March 19, 2019. (Reuters)

Nike's new CEO Elliott Hill warned of a long road to sales recovery for the sportswear giant, but the veteran executive's plan to turn the spotlight on sports like basketball and running, allayed some investor worries.

The company said on Thursday it was expecting third-quarter revenue to drop to low double digits after the embattled sportswear seller's quarterly results beat market estimates.

Hill, in his first public address as CEO on the post-earnings call, said Nike had "lost its obsession with sport" and vowed to put it back on track by refocusing on sport and selling more items at premium prices, Reuters reported.

"The recovery is going to be a multi-year process, but he(Hill) seems to be going back to the roots, back to Nike being Nike," said John Nagle, chief investment officer at Kavar Capital Partners, which owns Nike shares.

"(Hill plans to shift focus) away from some of the streetwear and fashion that had taken over the brand, the heavy discounting and the neglect of retailers. Just taking it back to what worked," Nagle said.

Hill, who was with Nike for more than three decades, returned as CEO in October to revive demand at the firm that has been struggling with strategy missteps that soured its relations with retailers such as Foot Locker.

Earlier this month, Foot Locker CEO Mary Dillon said Hill was "taking the right actions for the brand" and the retailer was "working closely" with Nike to emphasize newer sportswear styles, including Vomero and Air DT Max.

"(The retailers) they want us to get back to being Nike, and they want us to have the unrelenting flow of innovative products... and they want us to get back to delivering bold brand statements that help drive traffic," Hill said.

The company's market share dwindled as rival brands, including Roger Federer-backed On and Deckers' Hoka , lured consumers with fresher and more innovative styles.

Hill also highlighted that a lack of newness led Nike to become too promotional and said he plans to shift to selling more at full price on its website and app.

"With another half year of franchise management coupled with investment to reinvigorate the brand, we believe the next four quarters could be the worst of the margin erosion and earnings per share reductions," Barclays analyst Adrienne Yih said.

At least seven brokerages cut price targets on the stock with some analysts pointing to the lack of a clear timeline for Nike to return to growth.

Shares of Nike, which have lost about half of its value in the last three years, were down nearly about 2% in early trading on Friday.

Nike's forward price-to-earnings ratio for the next 12 months, a benchmark for valuing stocks, was 27.53, compared with 33.47 for Deckers and 32.32 for Adidas.

"A rudderless ship now has a rudder, and a sailor who knows how to drive it," said Eric Clark, portfolio manager at the Rational Dynamic Brands fund that owns Nike shares.