The high street looks Victoria Starmer wore to meet the Macrons
On the first day of the visit, Lady Starmer wore a £228 pleated navy and white dress by Reiss, an appropriately understated choice for a visit to Parliament Square to mark 20 years since the 7/7 bombings. As has increasingly become the case with her outfits, the dress has now almost completely sold out online. The following day, she opted for a long-sleeved floral maxi dress by Karen Millen for a visit to the British Museum, suitably breezy for the heatwave yet still elegant enough for the occasion.
The Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also chose a high street label for her meeting with the Macrons, opting for a vivid orange dress by LK Bennett. For a special service at St Paul's Cathedral to honour and remember the 7/7 attacks, Badenoch turned to the high street again, wearing a blue skirt suit by The Fold.
Lady Starmer is known for championing the British high street, previously showing a fondness for the mid-market brand Me+Em, which she wore almost exclusively during her husband's campaign run and in the days afterwards last summer. Of course, it wasn't without controversy when it emerged that a political donor had paid for her wardrobe, but you can't criticise her good taste, or the sentiment behind it, which is to support the British fashion industry.
And while the Princess of Wales's decision to nod to French fashion throughout the visit, with a touch of Englishness via Sarah Burton, is one way of exercising sartorial diplomacy, these women's choice of homegrown high street fashion brands is another.
After all, the fashion industry is the largest of the creative industries in the UK, contributing approximately £60 billion per year to the economy and employing 1.3 million people. Yet despite having some of the world's most recognisable heritage brands, like Marks & Spencer, the high street has undoubtedly suffered over the past five years, hit hard by Covid lockdowns and the cost of living crisis.
Of course, there are signs of hope. Topshop, once a juggernaut of millennial style, is returning with a pop-up next month, and new brands like Me+Em, Aligne and Nobody's Child are going from strength to strength. Yet more still needs to be done to ensure that our beloved British high street continues to bounce back, especially given competition from the likes of Spain with Zara and Mango, Scandinavia with H&M, Arket and Cos, and France with Sézane, Sandro, Maje and The Kooples.
And for those who might think that what Lady Starmer or Kemi Badenoch wears doesn't matter, remember this: the luxury label Edeline Lee was very much a fashion editor's recommendation prior to when Victoria put it on the map last year, and there is consistent evidence that women copy what these high-profile figures choose to wear.
'When people in the public eye support British brands – whether mid range or top end – it sends a message to consumers that you can be at work, out for dinner, or even at a significant state visit and what our high street has to offer covers it all,' says Clare Bailey, founder of The Retail Champion.
'Shopping in our high streets and especially with our independent retailers is so important to keep those businesses alive and our high streets vibrant. We all know the 'Kate effect' – when she wears high street or more affordable branded items they sell out in record time – so for others in the public eye, whilst not quite the style icon that Kate has become, it certainly helps put high street fashion more front of mind with those following the news. With low cost online retailers like Shein and Temu eating away at sales traditionally diverted to our high street stores, now, more than ever, it is worth reminding ourselves that there's excellent choice, quality and style on the doorstep.'
'It's glorious to see Lady Starmer and Kemi Badenoch championing the stalwarts of the British High street,' agrees stylist Alexandra Fullerton.
'The UK has a heritage of excellent outerwear and country brands along with a reputation for nurturing the edgiest high fashion talent, but sometimes you just need a jolly good dress that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Karen Millen, Reiss and LK Bennett are the places to go for elegant dresses that work for formal occasions but still have a dash of individuality about them, allowing the wearer's personal style to shine through. Lady Starmer and Badenoch's outfits are certain to trigger a flurry of sales from women wanting to look professional and polished. Lady Starmer has already proved herself adept at inspiring a sell-out after she wore scarlet Me+Em to join her husband at Downing Street last year.'
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