A volunteer trip to India, where they witnessed the harsh reality of modern slavery, changed the lives of the founders of Beulah London.
During a three-month stay in the slums of Delhi in 2009, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs and Lavinia Brennan taught crucial sewing skills to victims of sex trafficking.
Returning to the UK, they established their brand the following year, driven by a commitment to creating new opportunities for these women, and have maintained this mission ever since.
Unsurprisingly, Beulah London’s unique and uplifting initiative has gained significant attention in royal fashion circles: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Sofia, Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall have all sported her elegant designs.
Even Amazon Prime’s latest movie, Red, White and Royal Blue, based on the novel by Casey McQuiston, offers a nod to the brand.
The film, which follows the romantic relationship between the son of an American president and a British prince, stars Ellie Bamber as Princess Beatrice, complete with her Beulah London wardrobe.
But Natasha is delighted to see women, whether royal or not, wearing her label.
‘We are always delighted to see someone wearing our dresses! “It’s a real honor to see the Royal Family wearing Beulah and supporting British small businesses,” he told MailOnline.
Princess Beatrice brought much-needed cheer to a rainy afternoon in her crimson ‘Christina’ dress
Beulah London founders Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs (right) and Lavinia Brennan are dedicated to empowering vulnerable women through the fashion industry.
Beulah London is almost always guaranteed to be seen at royal events, including Trooping the Colour, Royal Ascot and the Queen’s National Thanksgiving Service.
The most recent sighting occurred on Monday, when Princess Beatriz dined at La Loma, part of Oswald’s private club, located in Mayfair.
She reprized her ‘Ahana’ dress in forest green, pairing it with lace pumps.
The elegant fit-and-flare silhouette is one of Beatrice’s favorites and she owns it in four variations, along with six other designs.
A few weeks earlier, the royal stepped out in the brand’s best-selling ‘Christina’ dress at a garden party at Buckingham Palace.
She brought some much-needed cheer to the rainy afternoon with her lovely crimson dress, featuring delicate buttons and a high ruffled collar.
“She looked stunning and elegant, as always,” Natasha said.
And Beatrice isn’t the only royal with a penchant for Beulah London’s bright hues: Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Sophie Winkleman are also enthusiasts.
During last year’s Coronation celebrations, Sophie wore Beulah’s ‘Yahvi’ dress in bright coral, one of her best outfits to date.
Prince Edward’s wife embodied summer elegance, as she showed off her free-spirited dance moves and sang Lionel Richie’s hit song ‘All Night Long.’
Made from RWS certified wool, which aims to improve the welfare of sheep and the lands on which they graze, Sophie’s dress was designed and made in London, supporting British manufacturing.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, wore Beulah’s bright coral ‘Yahvi’ dress again in April
Sophie Winkleman (left) and Princess Beatrice (right) have worn the brand’s ‘Ahana’ dress.
Royals have worn Beulah London dresses to several important events. Pictured: Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, at Trooping the Color 2023 (left) and Zara Tindall at Royal Ascot in 2020 (right)
Natasha and Lavinia share an unbreakable connection: their grandmothers were great friends and Natasha’s father went to school with Lavinia’s uncle.
The duo’s shared Christian faith inspired their company’s Hebrew name, which appropriately means “transition from darkness to light and freedom.”
They strive to design timeless garments with distinctive feminine silhouettes, showcasing Indian craftsmanship.
Before launching in 2010, Natasha and Lavinia carefully searched for global impact partners who shared their goal.
“Our vision is to create alternative and sustainable employment for vulnerable women,” Natasha explained.
“Inspired by the beautiful colors of India, we work with local communities, using artisanal techniques, such as weaving and embroidery, which we incorporate into our collections each season.”
The duo collaborates with NGOs, social enterprises, fair trade cooperatives and small specialty manufacturers to employ artisans in India.
The addition of these crafts to Beulah’s collections provides sustainable livelihoods to formerly trafficked women who already possess the skills or to those providing the training and tools to develop new skills.
It’s also worth noting that Beulah London donates 10 percent of its profits to charitable causes.
The Princess of Wales wore Beulah London’s ‘Sonia’ bell-sleeved dress to a charity polo match in 2023.
Kate chose to wear the elegant olive ‘Yahvi’ dress for an engagement in London in 2019
The princess looked radiant in Beulah’s ‘Calla’ shirt dress, made of silk with a floral print.
One step ahead: Queen Mary wore Beulah London’s ‘Ahana’ dress a year before Kate Middleton showed off the design
Its most notable client is undoubtedly Catherine, Princess of Wales, who has been seen wearing several dresses from the ethical brand.
Kate maintains a close bond with Natasha, who has known Prince William since childhood due to their parents’ friendship.
One of the most memorable outfits worn by the royal included the ‘Ahana’ dress in blush pink.
She wore the classic fit and flare dress, with a mandarin collar and belted waist, in both 2021 and 2023.
The brand’s influence extends beyond the borders of the United Kingdom, with Queen Mary of Denmark leading the trend.
Advanced, Mary wore the beloved ‘Ahana’ dress a year before Kate.
Both royals also own the navy blue geo-print ‘Shalini’ shirt dress and the flattering olive ‘Yahvi’ dress.
Mary stepped out in a geo-print shirt dress in 2019; Kate copied the look in 2020
Expressing her commitment to sustainability, Queen Mary wore a berry velvet dress by Beulah London in 2022.
Considering Queen Mary’s commitment to sustainability (she’s a patron of the Global Fashion Agenda and the Copenhagen Fashion Summit), it’s no surprise she’s a fan of the London-based brand.
Speaking about what’s next for the brand, Natasha told us: ‘We’ve just returned from a trip to India in March, where we visited Jaipur. We are always captivated by vibrant colors and textures and are inspired by local markets.’
Both founders successfully run their independent label alongside family commitments, which they consider their greatest achievement.
‘Running a business while raising young children has been a real challenge, but still very rewarding!’ Natasha explained.
“Our greatest achievement is having kept going and persisting through difficult times.”