Emilia Wickstead Shares Royal Wardrobe Secrets

Auckland-born fashion designer Emilia Wickstead, 34, sits down with Hello! magazine to talk about her fashion philosophy, the art of dressing like a royal and what it’s really like working with a celebrity clientele, like the Duchess of Cambridge.

“The inspiration [for the brand] is definitely old-world couture,” Wickstead explains. “As for design, I gravitate to traditional styles but mix it with an element of surprise.

“The most wonderful thing about having a small business is that every person we dress gets a really intimate process. When you are dressing someone who is in the limelight, often you’re working with their stylist, who has chosen you because your tastes are on par with their client. You’re working together to create something that is very beautiful for a particular event or occasion.”

Wickstead says British actress Emma Watson is a celebrity who can really identify with the brand.

“It was really wonderful collaborating with [Watson], and she’s also eco-conscious, which, as a business, made us look more closely at fabric mills and our production process. Diane Kruger is another celebrity I love dressing. We’ve worked together several times and she was one of my first [celebrity clients].

“[The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton] is a great brand ambassador for British designers, and it’s such an honour and privilege to think she would like to wear your clothing. There is so much talent in British fashion, a real cookie jar of different aesthetics with designers like Mary Katrantzou, Erdem, Christopher Kane, J.W Anderson and Simone Rocha.”

Original article by Ally Dean, Hello!, August 24, 2017.