According to fashion and beauty editor Miranda Holder, the ‘Kate effect’ is still in full swing. In her first outing since the Queen’s funeral, Princess Kate sported a Dolce & Gabbana coat, despite the brand’s controversy.
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Why is the Dolce & Gabbana coat so controversial?
According to Fashion Luxury, the Italian designer brand was founded by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The label had its first runway show in 1985, making it a ‘newcomer’ on the luxury fashion scene.
In the 2000s, the brand partnered up with Madonna, further increasing its popularity. However, according to Express, Dolce & Gabbana has recently faced backlash amid plenty of scandals.
In 2015, one of the founders, Dolce, sparked an outcry and a demonstration in their London store when he revealed his stance on same-sex parenting and IVF treatment in an interview with an Italian magazine. He said:
We oppose gay adoption. The only family is the traditional one.
According to The Guardian, the designer claimed that children conceived thanks to IVF were ‘children of chemistry’. Dolce later apologised for the comment.
In 2018, the brand faced more backlash as one of their campaigns, an Asian model trying to eat Italian food with chopsticks, was deemed racist.
Should Princess Kate continue to wear Dolce & Gabbana?
After the 2015 scandal, some celebrities began to boycott the brand. Sir Elton John took to social media to express his scorn. He wrote:
Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce & Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana.
Miranda Holder, a fashion and beauty editor, spoke to Express about Princess Kate’s choice.
The stylist admits that the Princess of Wales is ‘usually the paragon of considered dressing’. Holder also claims the late Queen Elizabeth II, who ‘set the ultimate example’, tutored Kate in the complexities of public appearances.
Thank you to all those who have worked so tirelessly to ensure that everyone visiting Windsor over the past two weeks has had a safe & positive experience.
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 22, 2022
It was a pleasure to meet just a small number of staff & volunteers today. We are hugely grateful for all of your efforts. pic.twitter.com/jrkSSrimg4
The Princess of Wales wore the coat on her first official engagement since the Queen's funeral. But she previously donned it in 2017 for Remembrance Sunday.
When questioned about the choice, Holder said:
It could be said that it was a little irresponsible for Kate to support such a controversial designer as Dolce & Gabbana.
However, she doesn’t expect Buckingham Palace to be up to date on all the controversies in the fashion industry. Holder also believes it isn’t the palace’s job to sift through gossip columns.
Express notes that this isn’t the first time the Princess of Wales has donned an outfit created by Dolce & Gabbana. In 2016, Princess Kate wore a white lace dress by the same designer, when she made her debut at Royal Ascot.
Holder suggests that the Princess of Wales ‘chose the outfit based on its merits, rather than on the reputation of its creator’.
Sources used:
- Express: 'Controversial!' Kate Middleton 'a little irresponsible' for wearing Dolce & Gabbana dress
- Fashion Luxury: 'The History of Dolce & Gabbana'
- The Guardian: 'Domenico Dolce apologises for remarks about IVF and gay families'
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