The Princess of Wales is nothing short of a fashion icon, with the dress she chose for her post-engagement TV interview with Prince William establishing her sartorial tastes and acting as a launching pad for the incredible looks to come. On 16 November 2010, Kate, now 43, wore a slinky midnight blue wrap dress by the now-defunct brand Issa featuring long sleeves and a knee-skimming skirt for the photocall at St James' Palace following her engagement to King Charles' son in October 2010 during a private holiday in Kenya.
It's not only HELLO!'s Lifestyle desk who loved Kate's chosen dress (more on that in a moment), but it was clearly a hit with her sister, Pippa. The youngest daughter of Carole Middleton and Michael Middleton, now 40, made an appearance at the wedding of Camilla Hook and Sam Holland, the grandson of the late Richard Attenborough, at Aberlady Parish Church in East Lothian, Scotland, in May 2012 – wearing Kate's dress. Okay, so it wasn't Kate's exact dress, but Pippa did wear the raspberry-hued version of the same Issa number.
Pippa accessorised the figure-skimming frock with black heels to match her black netted fascinator, which was adorned with hot pink roses. She also carried a black clutch made from mottled leather and styled her hair like her big sister did for her engagement photos – in a curly blow-dry. Her makeup look added to the glamour of the look, with Kate's go-to smokey eye also suiting her sister.
What happened to Issa?
Issa was founded in 2003 by Brazilian-born designer Daniella Helayel. Since Pippa and Kate wore Issa in the early 2010s, the brand has unfortunately folded. After Kate wore their 'Forever' dress for her engagement photocall, it went viral. The subsequent unexpected surge in sales put the brand in a position where it was unable to finance the increased production required to meet the heightened demand, ultimately leading to its collapse in December 2015. In 2017, the brand was acquired and relaunched by House of Fraser; however, the store later axed its remaining in-house brands in 2018.
An expert on Pippa's look
"Pippa's choice of the pink Issa wrap dress was a nod to her sister's now-iconic engagement look, but with a softer, probably even more romantic twist, personal stylist Constance Richardson, who has worked in styling for over three years, says. "The wrap silhouette, which was one of Issa's defining designs, and one that they perfected, perfectly flatters Pippa's figure by cinching her waist while draping effortlessly in the right places.
"The deep rose tone adds warmth and femininity, bringing a playful contrast to Kate's classic navy version," she adds. "Both looks capture the timeless, feminine elegance that defined early 2010s British fashion – refined and quietly glamorous just like the two sisters." Having reported on Pippa's fashion for two years at HELLO! (and in this time spent plenty of time digging through her sartorial archives), I know that this is just one of her standout wedding guest dresses. See my top picks…