Emilia Wickstead and the Princess of Wales: The Royal Wardrobe Explained
Emilia Wickstead and the Princess of Wales: The Royal Wardrobe Explained
Emilia Wickstead is one of the designers the Princess of Wales relies on for formal daywear. Press coverage has credited the London house with a series of bespoke dresses and coatdresses for state and commemorative occasions, and that royal link is a large part of why people search for the label. This piece sets out what has been reported, what the shapes have in common and where the same thinking shows up in the current collection.
Quick answer
- The Princess of Wales has worn Emilia Wickstead many times, often in bespoke pieces made for the occasion.
- Widely reported examples include an aubergine coatdress for the VE Day 80th anniversary commemorations in May 2025 and a deep burgundy dress for the state visit welcome at Windsor on 17 September 2025.
- Earlier, a blue houndstooth Emilia Wickstead design was reported for her first engagement in Boston in 2022.
- The common thread: a fitted bodice, a defined waist, a structured skirt and a clear single colour.
Why the house suits royal dressing
Royal daywear has practical rules. The dress has to photograph well from a distance, stay neat through a long day and sit correctly under a hat and a coat. Emilia Wickstead’s structured cloths, crepe, mikado and wool, keep their line when the wearer moves, and the house’s made to measure roots mean it can cut a dress to a client’s exact proportions. That is the same service the house offers today through its bespoke department.
The shapes to know
The coatdress
A dress cut like a coat, with buttons, collar and a belted waist. In the current collection the Gilliane Dress is the closest: a V neck coat dress in black and camel Prince of Wales check with a double breasted front and a self belt.
The collared midi
The Valletta in chocolate wool crepe and the Jody in flocked check carry a pointed collar over a fitted bodice, a shape that reads formal without a jacket.
The single strong colour
Royal dressing favours one clear colour. The Lucciene in red, the Olivienne in chocolate with its slim leather belt, and the Camilla in green velvet all follow that rule.
How to wear the look
Keep accessories in one colour family, choose a closed court shoe and a structured bag, and let the dress do the work. For winter, add a tailored coat in the same tone. Our guide to wearing Emilia Wickstead has more ideas.
Related reading: ME+EM and the Princess of Wales, and the Jenny Packham evening collection, another London house linked to the Princess.
A short timeline
- 2008: Emilia Wickstead founds her label in London on a made to measure model.
- 2009: the first store opens in Belgravia.
- 2022: a blue houndstooth Emilia Wickstead design is reported for her first engagement in Boston; the Sloane Street flagship opens the same year.
- May 2025: an aubergine coatdress is reported for the VE Day 80th anniversary commemorations.
- September 2025: a deep burgundy dress is reported for the state visit welcome at Windsor.
- February 2026: the house shows Autumn Winter 2026 at London Fashion Week.
Other wearers
Beyond the Princess of Wales, Emilia Wickstead has dressed Samantha Cameron and Melania Trump, according to the designer’s Wikipedia entry. The house’s own focus is on clients who need dresses for weddings, the races, garden parties and formal events, which is why bespoke and made to order remain central to the business.
Shop the formal daywear look
Gilliane Dress in Black & Camel Prince of Wales Check, Valletta Dress in Chocolate Single Wool Crepe and Olivienne Dress in Chocolate Birdseye Suiting are the three Autumn Winter 2026 dresses closest to the royal formula: covered arms, a defined waist and a single clear colour.
If you like Emilia Wickstead, Luxury Handbags also carries Erdem for romantic prints, Alessandra Rich for polished occasion dresses, Oscar de la Renta for American ladylike glamour and ME+EM for British workwear. See our full list of brands like Emilia Wickstead.
Emilia Wickstead at a glance
| Founded | 2008, in London |
|---|---|
| Designer | Emilia Wickstead, born in Auckland, New Zealand, raised partly in Milan, and a 2007 graduate of Central Saint Martins |
| First store | Belgravia, 2009 |
| Flagship | 152 to 153 Sloane Street, London, opened 2022 |
| Shows | London Fashion Week, since 2011 |
| Known for | Structured, waist defined dresses, colour, and made to measure roots |
| Ranges | Ready to wear, bridal, homeware, made to order and bespoke |
| Sizes | UK 4 to UK 18; knitwear XS to XL |
| Buy online | Coveti, with worldwide shipping |
Frequently asked questions
Does the Princess of Wales wear Emilia Wickstead?
Yes. The Princess of Wales has worn Emilia Wickstead many times, and press coverage has credited the house with bespoke dresses for state occasions in 2025.
What did the Princess of Wales wear for VE Day 80?
For the VE Day 80th anniversary commemorations in May 2025, she was reported to wear a bespoke aubergine Emilia Wickstead coatdress.
Can I buy the same Emilia Wickstead dress as the Princess of Wales?
Many of her Emilia Wickstead pieces were bespoke, so they are not sold as ready to wear. The house offers made to order and bespoke services, and the current collection includes similar coatdress and collared shapes.
Where is Emilia Wickstead based?
Emilia Wickstead is based in London. The flagship store is on Sloane Street and the label was founded in 2008.
Read next: Who is Emilia Wickstead, Emilia Wickstead dresses, Emilia Wickstead winter wedding guest dresses.
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