You’d need to be living under a rock to have missed the fact that the Netflix documentary about Victoria Beckham is available to stream today.
It appears to be on the Princess of Wales’ radar too, given that she chose to wear a Victoria Beckham suit for an engagement in Oxford this morning.
In a rare nod to the celebrity news cycle Catherine wore a sharply tailored olive green blazer and trousers for a visit to Home-Start Oxford, which provides free support for families in homes and communities across the UK. The charity is to roll out training based on The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood Explainer Series.
Since 2023, the Princess has been dedicated to increasing public understanding of the importance of the first five years of a child’s life, and in a powerful, personal essay published today, warned of the dangers of using mobile phones during family meal times. “Our smartphones, tablets, and computers have become sources of constant distraction, fragmenting our focus and preventing us from giving others the undivided attention that relationships require,” she wrote.
Catherine struck the right note with her outfit choice, keeping it tonal with a top in the same shade underneath, Kiki McDonough green amethyst earrings and a Daniella Draper pendant necklace. It was completed by a pair of tan courts – Ralph Lauren’s Celia style.
It’s not a brand new suit, we first saw it back in May, when the Princess presented designer Patrick McDowell with the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. The patch pockets with visible stitching were a literal representation of the craft involved in making a garment.
It was widely read as a show of support for British fashion after Kensington Palace felt compelled to clarify its stance on continuing to release information about the outfits the Princess wears to public engagements earlier this year.
She’d appeared to take a subtle step away from bolder fashion looks, but this suit suggested she was still very aware of her position as an ambassador for the industry.
“The Princess of Wales is really championing British tailoring at the moment, flying the flag for home-grown talents like Bella Freud and then Victoria Beckham today,” says Bethan Holt, Telegraph Fashion Director and author of The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Royal Style.
“At a time when male designers are in the fashion industry spotlight, it’s heartening to see her get behind the girl power in the fashion industry.
“Often the Princess’s fashion choices are imbued with serious diplomatic messages but wearing a Victoria Beckham suit on the day the designer’s Netflix documentary is released could be a witty wink to a big moment for a fellow British style icon while also projecting professionalism for an official engagement.
“She’s deftly ticking all the boxes from serious to fun.”
The Princess has favoured suits as a professional uniform since returning to work after her cancer treatment. She already has several suits by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, but since Burton moved to Givenchy, the role of Catherine’s go-to British tailor is very much up for grabs.
Catherine recently wore a suit by Bella Freud, a designer much loved for her sharp tailoring. Stella McCartney is another strong candidate, as is women’s tailoring house Knatchbull (she’s worn one of its blouses), and newer label Kipper, which is a fashion crowd favourite.
It’s easy to see why the Princess is fond of this Victoria Beckham suit though. And her choice to rewear it has cemented the most important thing about tailoring of all: that a great suit will serve you well again, and again, and again.