A New Zealand native, Wickstead moved to Milan at age 14 and London at the age of 19 to pursue her career in fashion design. Furthermore, she lived in New York in addition to the fashion meccas of Milan and London, and worked for prolific brands like Narciso Rodriquez, Giorgio Armani and Proenza Schueler.
One of Kate Middleton‘s go-to brand for her ever polished collection of clothes, Emilia Wickstead is hardly avant-garde or downright innovative as a designer. She really comes into her own, despite her previous experience with other brands. You do not see the sexiness or the bold looks that one might be inspired when working with Proenza Schueler and Armani. But there is something provocatively charming in her wears. Her style is tailored and ultimately classy and understated. Quite frankly, the descriptive word that comes to mind when defining her designs is they are very “British”. Very proper, posh yet totally flattering for young women ages 25 and up. There is something admirable in that. At an age where women think showing more skin is in, Wickstead is designing clothes for women to look sexy in without being too flashy (in skin and in color).
I certainly admire the simplicity of her design, her pattern choices and the cut. Emilia Wickstead retains an old-school glamour that I think tends to be lost in modern designers that aim for too much bright colors, too form fitting, and too much skin. She appeals to people like the Duchess and probably most First Ladies of the world but I do not mean to assume her design to be rather prim and proper. Her clothes are made for people that women aspire. Call it “Hampton Nostalgia”, reminiscent of Grace Kelly pre-Monaco reign. Feminine, delicate yet strong. And thanks to Kate Middleton’s Midas Touch, this new age of fashion may revert to this sort of feminity. And I strongly support it.
Are you a fan of Emilia Wickstead?