British Royalty has long had an influence on New Zealand fashion – beginning with Queen Victoria’s penchant for black and later the wardrobes of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana. This was particularly evident during a Royal Tour. Queen Elizabeth II wore slacks and also Horrockses day dresses on her 1954 tour to New Zealand and Australia, securing the fashion credentials of both for local fashion followers. Princess Diana was revered for her style and her support of the British fashion industry. She led the adoption of the ‘Sloane Ranger look’ and, in the early 1980s, frequently wore the romantic, demure designs by British label Bellville Sassoon. Consequently the look was very influential in New Zealand – this Miss Deb dress is a good example of that fashion trend. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, has also become a fashion icon, albeit for a particular niche. In a ironic reversal of our trend to imitate, she has chosen a New Zealand-born designer, Emilia Wickstead, as one of her favourites.