What the Duchess of Cambridge Should Wear in India, According to an Expert
Anita Dongre
This namesake collection is inspired by the rich heritage of Rajasthan and offers the most intricate and beautifully designed bespoke dresses. This is a brand that Kate should seriously consider when picking out her looks for the gala in Mumbai.
Anamika Khanna
Anamika Khanna is considered the most sought-after designer in India, and her clothes have women swooning over them. Think of Khanna as the Oscar de la Renta of India. Her pieces are elegant and can be spotted on Bollywood’s elite.
Rashmi Varma
Rashmi Varma is the designer who truly captures the vibe of modern India. Launched in 2013, her collection is versatile and elegant, with pieces that would be perfect for Kate’s visit to the wildlife sanctuary.
Rahul Mishra
Rahul Mishra is probably the Indian designer who has experienced the most international success to date. He recently won the International Woolmark Prize, which saw his winning collection being placed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. We’d be shocked if this brand weren’t already on Kate’s radar.
Sanjay Garg
The founder and designer of the aforementioned brand Raw Mango, Sanjay Garg, has recently launched a separate line with more diverse options. Not focusing only on saris, the eponymous line includes separates such as pants, dresses, and tops. The same craftsmanship and technical skills of the master weavers are also applied to this collection.
Grass Root by Anita Dongre
Anita Dongre’s work with Grass Root has transformed the lives of the people who make the clothes. By working with local craftsmen and weavers directly, the brand is not only helping the people in the villages but also producing stunning clothes for the modern woman.
Raw Mango
Bridging the gap between old-school and modern, this brand has taken the traditional Banarasi sari and elevated it for the 21st-century consumer. The company adapts classic silhouettes without making the garments seem kitschy. If the duchess were to opt for something from Raw Mango, she’d surely be seen as being in with the in crowd.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are heading to India and Bhutan on a diplomatic trip in the coming days, and while the tour is being carried out at the behest of Her Majesty’s Government to expand personal ties with the countries, it’s unofficially an opportunity for Kate Middleton to show off some new styles. With the duchess in a new environment and outside of Kensington Palace’s comfortable grounds, fashion fans are crossing their fingers that the 34-year-old will experiment with local designers and silhouettes.
No one wants this more than Deep Kailey, a stylist whose résumé includes the prestiges fashion editor job at Vogue India, fashion director at Tatler UK and who is currently launching a publication focusing on the vibrant cultural scene in India. In short: Kate should consider giving her a call. “The biggest mistake she could make is looking like a cliché,” Kailey tells Yahoo Style about Kate’s wardrobe. “I know she can pull off all these Indian designers, but all will depend on her choice and knowing how to wear these silhouettes.”
Let’s be honest, the duchess is pretty sartorially unimaginative, but she’s nothing if not proper: She always take into account the appropriateness of her hem and necklines, the height of her heels for maximum comfort, and how much money should be spent on a particular ensemble in order not to anger taxpayers. As Kailey points out, there’s a lot more at stake overseas, and Kate’s style advisers have their work cut out for them.
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Will the duchess wear a sari? What should she wear to visit the Taj Mahal? This is an especially difficult decision considering her mother-in-law Princess Diana’s iconic visit to the monument in 1992, in which she is pictured alone wearing a red blazer and purple shoes, has been embedded in the public’s memory for so long. Other stops on the royal couple’s itinerary include Mumbai, New Delhi, Gandhi Smriti, attending a Bollywood gala, visiting a slum, and hiking a mountain. For all of these affairs, will she choose Indian designers? And if so, whom?
To answer these questions, Kailey told us seven Indian designers Kate should consider wearing. And if she does heed this advice, remember that you heard it here first!
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