Fashion watchers hope duchess brings ‘Kate effect’ to Canadian labels
VANCOUVER — Canada’s fashion industry and those who watch it are abuzz ahead of a visit from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, speculating whether any Canadian brands stand to benefit from the “Kate effect.”
The duchess has brought global attention to the clothing she wears, creating the market for brands like U.K.-based L.K. Bennett to open stores overseas, said Amanda Dishaw, Vancouver-based editor for the website What Would Kate Do?
A Canadian label in the duchess’s wardrobe on the upcoming week-long tour of British Columbia and Yukon would bring great publicity to that brand, Dishaw said.
The public’s fascination with the duchess extends not only from the fairy tale story of marrying into the Royal Family, but also her appearance of being approachable and authentic, said Noreen Flanagan, editor-in-chief of Fashion Magazine.