The Tamesis
Kate Middleton has been supporting the British textile industry in recent months – visiting Sudbury Mill in Suffolk and Marina Mill in Caxton last September; a trip to Radical Weavers in Stirling in January, where she tried her hand at traditional tartan weaving; and most recently, a visit to Melin Tregwynt Woolen Mills on the Pembrokeshire coast, famous for its Welsh double cloth designs. Catherine, Princess of Wales, emphasized the ‘Made in Britain’ message during an appearance this afternoon (February 5).
Heading to Lambeth Palace to meet the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mulally (the first woman to serve as leader of the Anglican Church and head of Anglican rituals), Kate opted for a head-to-toe chocolate brown ensemble offset only by a sparkling heart-shaped necklace, which included a peak-shouldered coat and a calf-length Edeline Lee dress. Signature bubble flow jacquard.
This is a typical pragmatic choice. Designed specifically for women on the go, the fabric folds into the bottom of a suitcase and pops up without creating any creases. But more importantly, Lee has designed clothes for the Princess of Wales on several occasions and almost everything she sells is made in her studio in east London.
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Even last season, when Lee made her first foray into knitwear at London’s Peninsula Hotel’s St. George Ballroom, she reinvented her best-selling styles, including the “Pedernal” dress worn by Catherine when she presented the Queen Elizabeth II British Design Award in 2022, which featured pleated panels made from sustainable FSC-certified viscose, and every piece must be made in the UK.
“It’s a true labor of love, but more enjoyable than DHL shipping it all to China,” Lee said at the time, describing the arduous but non-negotiable process of creating these “chic and versatile pieces” [her] “Women need”. “Made in Britain means something,” she added, “but we don’t value it as much as other countries. We need to support British fashion.” Kate Middleton seems to be thinking the same thing.
