You know how the Princess of Wales accused the Duchess of Sussex of wanting her fashion contacts? LMAO. I still think about that all the time, especially because when Kate was making that accusation, she was already starting to copy Meghan’s style. Speaking of, Kate is supposed to be the biggest ambassador for “Brand Britain,” especially when it comes to British fashion. She’s supposed to wear British labels 24-7. Pre-Sussex, Kate rarely ventured out of her comfort zone of “twirly doll dresses,” button-covered coatdresses and Victorian cosplay. After Meghan came around, Kate switched up her style significantly, but she still wore a lot of British labels. The problem? No one really wants to dress like Kate and the “Kate Effect” isn’t actually a thing for the brands she wears. The Daily Mail pointed out just how many British labels have bit the dust, even with Kate wearing those brands on high-profile outings.
It was once the case that a single royal appearance in Windsor-approved attire could propel a little-known label into the global spotlight overnight, flooding it with orders and cementing its place in the style pages. And yet, in recent years, the royal halo effect has lost its power to shield British brands from harsh economic realities.
Time and again, once-celebrated names, blessed with high-profile royal endorsements and in some cases even the prestigious royal warrant, have crumbled under the weight of modern retail pressures. From global inflation to the rise of online shopping, and pandemic-related disruptions to the fickle cycles of fashion itself, these companies discovered the hard way that even royal patronage could not guarantee survival.
Take Cefinn, the sleek workwear brand founded by Samantha Cameron, once hailed as the epitome of understated confidence. With both the Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla spotted in her designs, the label looked destined for longevity. But just eight years after its glittering debut, Cefinn announced it would be shutting its doors, unable to withstand mounting costs, dwindling consumer confidence, and a market more ruthless than ever.
Cefinn: Samantha Cameron founded her fashion label Cefinn in 2017, and the brand has been worn by Kate and Camilla. Now, eight years later, the company is preparing to close as a result of industry pressures which made it impossible for the label to stay afloat
Vampire’s Wife: Kate Middleton and Princess Beatrice have often been seen wearing The Vampire’s Wife trendy, glittery dresses over the years, however the brand ceased trading in 2024 after a decade amid struggles to recover from the pandemic and repay an outstanding tax debt. In an announcement from founder Susie Cave, she said they were closing its doors due to factors beyond their control
Issa: The fashion brand Issa closed in 2015 after struggling to finance the increased demand for its products following Kate Middleton wearing its famous blue wrap dress for her engagement announcement in 2010. After the publicity, the founder Daniella Helayel quit, and the brand ultimately shuttered
Seraphine: The maternity fashion retailer Seraphine, whose clothes were worn by the Princess of Wales during her three pregnancies, ceased trading and entered administration earlier this year, and the majority of its 95 staff were made redundant. The retailer, founded in London in 2002, was hit hard by rising costs and brittle consumer confidence, with these economic challenges proving too challenging to overcome
Orla Kiely: In 2018 Orla Kiely closed its website and stores after 23 years, entering voluntary liquidation following various challenges after diversifying too much with homeware and accessories. The brand, with its distinctive floral-based fashion, became a favourite of Kate’s and has since returned with just accessories and homewear
Ted Baker: Ted Baker announced store closures in 2024 after collapsing under administration. The brand was worn by the Princess of Wales and Beatrice who boosted their sales. However, after suffering from years of instability they left the High Street and have since relaunched their online business
If you were generous, you could argue that “being worn by Kate” can’t save a business from bad management and bad retail strategies. But the comparison is pretty stark when you consider that Meghan still gives a huge boost to pretty much any label she wears at every level. Meghan appeared in a Club Chainstich sweatshirt on social media and it completely changed that small business overnight. Meghan wears a bracelet from a company with zero national profile and suddenly the company has more orders than they can keep up with. Women just want to dress like Meghan and they want to see which companies she’s highlighting. They don’t feel the same way about Kate or any of the left-behinds. Anyway… another Kate-associated label bites the dust! And Sarah Burton left McQueen as well, now she’s at Givenchy.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar, Cover Images, Backgrid.
