Table of Contents
You’ll find, in some of the country’s best ZIP codes, a hum of activity that has been building in a steady crescendo.
As the British social season approaches (Ascot next week! Wimbledon! Glyndebourne!), the country’s top designers are gearing up. The uninitiated might hear the “top designers” and think that Burberry, Prada and others are the best.
The social group, however, would never dream of being so vulgar. After all, “money screams, wealth whispers”: no one wants to wear an easily identifiable design with the logo of an international fashion house.
Fortunately, royal events such as the Jubilee and Coronation in recent years have given smaller British designers the opportunity to flourish.
Here’s our guide to those you’ll call the social elite and their tips on how to achieve their look without a bank balance in the Royal Enclosure.
Get the Lalage look for less
In a fashion world where overnight sensations fade as quickly as they appear, Lalage Beaumont is the real deal.
Having worked at Aquascutum, Mulberry and Burberry in the 80s and 90s, in 2004 he launched his eponymous brand.
The classic elegance of their designs transcends the volatility of haute couture, becoming investment pieces that truly last a lifetime.
What’s more, they are not pieces that you will see in others: many of Lalage’s fabrics are woven in just a few meters to guarantee exclusivity.
The Princess of Wales is a fan of Lalage accessories and was seen carrying their Fonteyn bag (£850).
And Lalage’s tips for looking stylish on a High Street budget? “Massimo Dutti has some good tailored pieces, and for warm-weather weddings and parties, there are some lovely prints.”
He adds: “But try to avoid polyester, as linen and linen blends tend to look more expensive.”
Dress, £899 and bag, £775, lalagebeaumont.com
Linen jacket, 199 and trousers, £129, massimodutti.com
mischevani magic
“Following the overwhelming success of the costumes worn at the King’s Coronation, there will be a short delay in the delivery of our orders,” Claire Mischevani’s website read last year.
No surprise: Pippa Middleton and the Prime Minister’s wife, Akshata Murty, wore her pieces to the Coronation. Carrie Johnson, Zara Tindall and Helen Mirren are also fans. Phew!
Expert tailoring, unexpected color palettes and luxury materials are its hallmarks. The Seren Polka Dot Peter Pan Collar Dress (£895) combines these three things to elegant effect.
Claire tells us she’s impressed with the impressions on High Street this season, particularly some on Karen Millen.
High praise from arguably society’s best designer of the moment.
Dress, £895, claire mischevani. com
Dress, £179, karenmillen.com
Congratulations to Lisa Tan
Australian Lisa Tan has made the prestigious world of British millinery her own. Lisa’s sculptural designs are a favorite of young runners, particularly her signature ‘Halo’ shape, of which this season’s ‘Francesca’ cap (£980) is an incarnation.
Luckily, for several seasons Lisa has designed a collection for High Street brand Coast, meaning you can get in on the couture millinery action for a fraction of the price. You heard it here first – a new collection arrived last week, including a trendy bow headband costing £34.50, plus several spectacular wide-brimmed items for under £115.
Pink headband, £34.50, Coastfashion.com and lime green hat, £111.20, Coastfashion.com
Fit for a princess
It’s safe to say that Beulah founders Lady Natasha Finch and Lavinia Richards know a thing or two about event dressing.
But it’s the combination of fashion savvy with an ethical mission that has earned her such a devoted clientele: Beulah received a UN commendation for providing employment to trafficked women in India.
Princess Beatrice, Queen Mary of Denmark and the Crown Princess of Norway are regular Beulah users. And of course, the Princess of Wales was one of the first to adopt it in 2011.
Hiring is the best way to rock Beulah without a real budget – Hurr (hurrcollective.com) has dresses for as little as £57 for four days.
Dress, £375, beula hlondon.com
Dress, rental from £89 (RRP £640), hurracollective.com
Vintage Suzannah Elegant
Suzannah Crabb has a wealth of experience in the fashion industry, and it shows.
Inspired by vintage couture, Suzannah reimagines timeless fashions in innovative fabrics that are impeccably crafted and flatteringly cut.
Think 50s-style midi skirts and 40s-inspired tea dresses reinterpreted in unique prints and unique fabrics – see the gold tweed Zelda skirt (£1,990).
The Duchess of Edinburgh asked Suzannah to create her coronation dress, using handmade British embroidery.
She also dressed her daughter Lady Louise Windsor for the occasion, and the Princess of Wales owns Suzannah’s ‘Wiggle’ dress (£2,790) in two colourways, no less.
But Suzannah understands that haute couture is not available to everyone: ‘I appreciate that the luxury sector is not a consideration for many. I tend to mix new finds with used finds. There are great deals from sites like Vinted to Vestiaire.
“It’s great to buy used clothes for special occasions; in fact, it’s what’s most admired.”
Jacket, £1,190 and skirt, £1,990, suzannah.com and, on the right, dress, £150.65 Suzannah at vestiaire collective.com