The public aspect of the Royal (Fashion) Tour begins in Blenheim tomorrow, following the arrival of the Cambridges in Wellington on Monday. The Duchess of Cambridge looked regal in a scarlet Catherine Walker coat and dress, but we're still holding out for an ensemble that has links to the local fashion industry - not just a silver fern brooch, as beautiful as that was.
In the past, the Duchess has worn garments with connections to the country she is visiting: in Canada in 2011 she wore a dress by Canadian-born designer Erdem Moralioglu, and in Singapore an outfit from Singapore-born Prabal Gurung. What will she wear here? We're looking for pieces from local designers whose aesthetics reflect the Duchess' preference for elegant tailoring, but with a modern edge - like Kate Sylvester, Juliette Hogan, Ingrid Starnes, Tanya Carlson or Liz Mitchell.
Something New Zealand-made would be reason for celebration, too.
New Zealanders abroad will likely feature, though: Collette Dinnigan and Rebecca Taylor are already favourites of the Duchess, and Atea, a very cool up-and-coming label from New Zealand-born, London-based Laura Myers would help modernise the Duchess' prim aesthetic.
But it's New Zealander Emilia Wickstead who is a given, having dressed the Duchess several times in the past. This regal looking lace dress with peplum and mid-length hemline from Wickstead's Fall 2014 collection looks like it was made with the Duchess in mind. The London-based designer has been in New Zealand recently, too - is she here to fit custom pieces for her?
