The Duchess of Cambridge, the former Kate Middleton, wears a dress, and it sells out. The so-called Kate Effect has been noted for years, and though plenty of attention has been paid to the dresses she has worn on the royal family’s tour in Australia and New Zealand (Prince William reportedly said that she looked “like a banana” when she wore a yellow RoksandaIlincic dress in Sydney), she’s not the only one in the family. On the trip, the royal family has introduced a new teeny style icon: Prince George, who, as a 9-month-old, is already having a big impact on some fashion businesses.
“Every mother, especially the British ones, dream of dressing their children like the royal baby,” said Christine Innamorato, the creative director of Bonpoint, an upscale children’s clothier. “He might only be 9 months old, but Prince George is already a trendsetter, just like his mother.”
Ms. Riley, who was unaware that her clothes would be worn by the young prince, feels as if she hit the jackpot.
The business has been swift. The sailboat dungarees sold out online “in a few hours, maybe less than that,” she said. His later outfits (the shorts, the polo shirt, the cardigan, which range from $75 to $99) are still available but are not likely to last long. Reorders will be made, she said.
“We’ve had celebrity customers before, and we’ve also had royal customers before, but I don’t think we’ve ever had anyone before quite as high profile as Prince George,” she said. “Being on such a high-profile baby is very good for business.”
She is not alone. After Prince George wore an Annafie sailboat romper, the label received a “a lot of orders for more stock,” said Elisabeth von Kospoth, the owner, who encouraged a reporter to consider “similar models” of the romper.
