The Queen’s Legacy In Fashion | EDITED

EDITED celebrates the former monarch’s style legacy and the trends she was known for that will continue to flourish in retail.

Key Takeaways

Heritage

Capturing the Trend

Queen Elizabeth’s passion for the outdoors and frequent visits to her Balmoral estate inspired a dress code with practicality and heritage at its helm. A proponent of British craftsmanship, she favored country classic brands like Barbour and Hunter, choosing functional wax jackets and Wellington boots for walks on the moors. Hardwearing wool fabrications were another key element, manifesting in tweed outerwear and tartan kilts, as were equestrian influences, such as jodhpurs and riding boots.

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Its Relevance in Retail

The timelessness of the earth-toned palette and classical prints used within this trend help carry it into retailers’ Fall 2022 assortments. Tones of moss green, navy, neutral and brown feature among the top five most invested colorways of this season, while checks are the third most stocked pattern.

Tweed fabrications hold longevity past the winter months and into SS23, recognized among preppy narratives as a key textile. Footwear sees ‘Chelsea’ styles occupy 20% of boot intake, presenting a more conventional substitute for a riding boot. Consider the appeal of backing homegrown brands to customers seeking products free from inflated shipping costs and supply chain issues.

Dopamine Brights

Capturing the Trend

Celebrating her 90th birthday at the Trooping The Color parade in 2016, the Queen’s coordinated neon green hat and coat caused such a furor, that it spurned its own hashtag #neonat90. However, this affection for mood-boosting bright colorways was long-established as a style choice of Queen Elizabeth II, who utilized vivid hues as a way to ensure she was always visible to the vast crowds that gathered at public appearances.

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Its Relevance in Retail
Dopamine Dressing continues to inject assortments with mood-boosting pops of color, progressing for FW22 with flashes of fuchsia and Kelly green. Create high-impact looks by utilizing the tonal dressing technique favored by Queen Elizabeth II, merchandising apparel options with matching accessories.

Currently, siren red and flame orange are most dominant among majority SKU sell outs, the former hue is set to benefit from licensing tie-ins such as Ferrari’s runway debut and a return to the red carpet. Highlighter-inspired neon green sees one of the smallest assortments of all colors, however its backing for SS23 from Givenchy should encourage contemporary retailers to invest before the market is saturated.

Zara, H&M, Phase Eight at Marks & Spencer

The Power of Preppy

Capturing the Trend

Queen Elizabeth’s propensity for timeless heavyweight fabrics like tweed and wool lent to her emblematic tailored looks. Her looks never lacked simplicity and elegance, with the fabrics most frequently worn as matching tweed suit sets, A-line skirts and longline overcoats.

Pastel shades were a favorite in tweed ensembles, rounded out by horse-bit loafers, statement hats and pearls. She never shied away from a floral moment, from small-scale prints to bold hat toppers. Colorful Blooms were prevalent on the Pre-Spring 2023 catwalk, from Oscar de la Renta to Etro. To achieve the same effortless preppy style, keep looks colorful and classy, and complete them with the perfect accessories.

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Its Relevance in Retail

Tweed is already seeing considerable investment this season, predominantly in jackets, skirts and dresses. Major designers put the fabric front and center in their Fall 2022 shows, contributing to a Ladylike theme from top to bottom. Skirt suit sets were seen at Mango and John Lewis, while Marks & Spencer offered a tweed mini dress for a more conservative look. Sainsbury’s is backing leather loafers, and Mango’s leather ballet flats at £35.99 experienced a full price sell out just 16 days after arriving, cementing demand for preppy footwear this fall.

Hobbs London at Marks & Spencer, Tu Clothing at Sainsburys, Hobbs London at John Lewis & Partners

 

Accessories Fit for a Queen

Capturing the Trend

With her ability to perfectly accessorize every look, the Queen quickly became iconic for her three-stand pearl necklaces, antique brooches and miniature handbags from her preferred label of choice, Launer. Her headwear choices were rooted in statement hats with whimsical toppers and show-stopping tiaras.

She famously paired accessories back to her clothing, opting for a complete head-to-toe look. Delicate white gloves and strands of pearls elevated even her most elegant looks, while headscarves infused a casual air to ensembles. While Queen Elizabeth II’s style evolved over the decades, her love for embellishments and accessories transcended time.

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Its Relevance in Retail
Across new in bags that have arrived since July 1st, ‘small’ was the most popular size descriptor used, present in 6% of arrivals versus ‘large’ at 5% and ‘medium’ at 4%. Small front clasp shoulder styles accompanied collections from Stella McCartney to Tods in the Pre-Spring 2023 shows, keeping designs minimal and in leather materials.

The Queen’s affinity for pearls, most frequently seen on her necklaces, is a timeless trend that will resonate with your mid & mature customer. Mango and Marks & Spencer are the top two investors analyzed across a selection of UK retailers, with pearly earrings accounting for 32% of newness and necklaces for 24%. Explore pearl drop earrings and layered strands for a complete preppy story.

H&M, Zara & Mango

Contributions by Katherine Bailey & Krista Corrigan

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