Coats

The Duchess of Cambridge’s name might be synonymous with the coat dress – the hybrid fashion item that brings a certain degree of polish to the royal’s public-facing looks on even blustery days – but Kate has also amassed a collection of chic outerwear that is worth a closer look.
Thanks to longstanding relationships with Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen and Said Cyrus, the man behind Catherine Walker & Co, Kate’s edit of custom coats ranges from crisp military styles to mannish double-breasted versions and caped fancies in a smörgåsbord of wearable hues. Coats have become her secret weapon (along with that glossy blow-dry), painting a picture of a woman who remains pulled together regardless of the weather, or the particular royal duty she is navigating.
When tasked with visiting Sweden’s National Association for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Health in 2018, Kate wore a ’60s-style houndstooth Catherine Walker coat that signalled a level of self-assuredness in the face of sensitive conversations. For the 75th anniversary of the RAF Cadets in 2016, the Duchess pinned an Air Cadets Dacre brooch onto a sky-blue McQueen coat that honoured their work without looking overdone.
Kate’s coats also reflect the personality behind the public figurehead. To meet the Queen’s Scouts in 2013, the mother-of-three walked the lawns of Windsor Castle wearing a joyful Mulberry coat with flower-shaped buttons that nodded to her love of nature. At the 2018 Christmas Day church service at Sandringham, when all eyes were on Catherine and her new sister-in-law, the Duchess of Sussex, she pinned an oak leaf brooch to her berry-coloured Catherine Walker button-up. The fauna represented the Middleton family’s coat of arms, and brought a slice of Kate’s history to another much-documented moment for the monarchy.

Recently, Kate has added several new coats to her wardrobe, from a grey princess coat, again by Catherine Walker, for a solo visit to Copenhagen to an emerald green military style by contemporary couture label Laura Green London for a St Patrick’s Day parade.
Here, 13 of the Duchess of Cambridge’s most elegant coats that show her deftness of touch when it comes to commissioning expert tailoring.
Alexander McQueen

Photo: Shutterstock

Kate’s bespoke utility-style McQueen coat brought a calming presence to New Zealand’s Blenheim War Memorial, to the D-Day 70th-anniversary events at Normandy in 2014, and then, pictured here, to the 75th Anniversary of the RAF Air Cadets in 2016. The belted style with large pockets and pleated back certainly verges on dress-coat territory, but with Burton’s design expertise, the precisely crafted piece looks fresh.
Sportmax
Photo: Shutterstock
Blackpool witnessed Kate wearing a favourite moss-green Sportmax coat in 2019, which she had worn a handful of times before to church services at Sandringham. The royal often belts the style, which is slightly more boxy than her usual custom pieces, for a more fitted effect.

Alexander McQueen

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The smile of a woman whose bespoke McQueen coat is a thing of excellence. Worn here on a trip to Bradford in 2020.
Hobbs
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One of Britain’s best high-street ambassadors, the Duchess – seen wearing Hobbs at Erik Nielsen Whitehorse airport in Yukon – proves once again that well-crafted fashion does not have to cost the earth.
Mulberry
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A memorable caped Mulberry coat that proved peppy colours have mood-boosting qualities.
Catherine Walker
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A Catherine Walker confection which showed a zanier side to Kate, and which formed the perfect backdrop to her coveted Chanel bag on a state trip to Sweden.

Eponine London

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Dressy outerwear by a Kensington-based brand which Kate can be credited with single-handedly putting on the map.
Mulberry
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Kate was utterly spring-like in April 2013, as she met the Queen’s Scouts wearing a Mulberry coat adorned with playful posy buttons.
Catherine Walker

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Pictures of the Fab Four at the 2018 Christmas church service at Sandringham went viral, and Kate looked the part – plus a touch festive – in a berry-coloured Catherine Walker coat and a matching Jane Taylor headpiece that spawned thousands of online searches for Alice bands.
Massimo Dutti
Photo: Shutterstock

A muted Massimo Dutti coat showed Kate’s deftness of touch at coords and diplomatic dressing during a 2020 trip up north. The Strathearn Tartan scarf nodded to her Scottish title, the Countess of Strathearn, and looked totally charming against her beige ensemble.

Alexander McQueen
Photo: Shutterstock
Another investment purchase from Kate’s beloved McQueen. A 2020 trip to Wales saw the royal put on a positively festive demeanour in an elegant postbox-red double-breasted coat, worn over an Emilia Wickstead tartan skirt and with a matching scarf positioned neatly over one shoulder. The Duchess first wore the peppy outerwear during the unveiling of portraits from her Hold Still community photography project in Waterloo in October the same year, and no doubt we will see her in the cheering button-up again during similarly seasonal appointments in 2021.
Catherine Walker 
Photo: Shutterstock
The Duchess showcased quintessential royal style for a solo visit to Copenhagen in February 2022, opting for a grey princess coat by Catherine Walker featuring black lapels. She accessorised the chic outerwear with a matching black Mulberry bag, Gianvito Rossi pumps and pearls.
Catherine Walker
Photo: Shutterstock
Never one to be afraid of a block colour, the Duchess wore a cobalt blue coat dress by Catherine Walker for the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2022.
Laura Green London 
Photo: Shutterstock
The Duchess debuted an emerald green military-style coat by contemporary couture label Laura Green London – a new brand for the royal – for a St Patrick’s Day parade in Aldershot in March 2022.
Read Next: Prince William and Kate Middleton May Move to Windsor—Here’s Why

Photo: Getty
Finding a coat that will keep you warm while simultaneously elevating your autumn outfits can be challenging. Enter: the classic camel coat. Brands deliver new takes on this favorite year after year, meaning you can take your pick from double-breasted versions or mannish silhouettes, long wrap styles or shorter options.

From Raey’s double-breasted coat to longline belted options from Cos or Nanushka, shop British Vogue’s pick of the best camel coats available now.

Read Next: The Designer Behind Lady Diana’s Power Suits Reveals What It Was Like To Dress A Princess

Gucci. Photo: Courtesy
The cool girl’s alternative to leopard print has more pizzazz – by wearing it, you’re simply saying, “I’m here and I’m ready to party!”. Zebra stripes are loud, confident, and attention-grabbing and require little more from the wearer than an appreciation of their power. To dress in zebra is to shake off all inhibitions, to whole-heartedly embrace the sartorial maximalism of monochrome and ‘own it.’
Valentino. Photo: Courtesy
For fall, fashion’s longtime love of zebra was felt strongly at Michael Kors, where 60s inspired mini skirts, fitted jackets, and roomy coats championed the print. But animal wasn’t the only motif to make a monochrome statement: lozenge or diamond-like designs showed up at Dior (via a stunning floor-length gown embellished with roses), Gucci (a remarkable shearling coat was paired with little more than a single earring, mini top handle bag and flat pumps), and Valentino (with one of the coats of the season rendered in an elegant diamond print duster style).
Positively of the moment and yet, funneling a retro vibe, these are prints that will work hard with the rest of your wardrobe. Calculate the wearability of Isabel Marant’s zebra print ankle boots (pair them with just about anything), or a diamond design leather handbag (try Saint Laurent, and simply add denim or streamlined tailoring for a fast-track to Parisian chic), and you’ll see that these are pieces that will give you real bang for your bucks…
Roman Stud Leather Shoulder Bag
AED:12,607Buy NowGaby Chain Bag in Vintage Lambskin
Buy NowWool and Silk-Blend Zebra-Jacquard Mini Skirt
Buy NowOversized Blouson Jacket in Soft Lambskin
AED:29,527Buy Now

Read Next: All the Highlights and Trends from Milan Fashion Week SS22

Mona Tougaard. Photo: Acielle/Style Du Monde
At just 18 years old, Danish model Mona Tougaard is already something of a runway veteran. The latest catwalk entry on her impressive CV? Storming Versace’s vertical maze as part of the house’s FW21 unveiling, alongside Adut Akech, Bella Hadid and Irina Shayk.
Off the runway, the ascendant fashion star’s personal wardrobe is also brimming with covetable style cues. Take the faux-croc coat she sported between socially distanced appointments at Paris Fashion Week (teamed with a Mulberry knit, low-slung flares, sparkling white sneakers and Prada’s geometric bucket hat).
Tougaard isn’t alone in her love of the cruelty-free leather topper. The brightest new model faces from Milan and Paris are likewise backing the wear-anywhere staple as 2021’s ultimate transitional outerwear — pairing everything from vintage car coats to polished trench coats and oversized vegan shirts with pinstripe suiting, inky bell-bottoms and slouchy checked skater pants.
Whether you’re looking for ways to reinvigorate the jacket you already own or scouring Depop for fresh, pre-loved options, we’ve got you covered.
This is Vogue’s guide to wearing vintage and vegan ‘leather’ jackets now, with a little help from our favorite model friends.

Embrace longline

Our key takeaway from Paris’s street-style roundup? Don’t shy away from the drama of a calf-grazing vintage leather silhouette. If you’re looking for ways to re-energise your well-worn 501s, the oversized proportions of a wrap or ‘princess’ coat will do the trick. Just add loafers and pristine white socks.
The vegan ‘leather’ blazer you already own is still it

There’s literally nothing to dislike about a cruelty-free ‘leather’ blazer (foremost the practical pockets), but the right cut is key. Look out for slightly oversized fits — take your measurements when you’re wearing a chunky sweatshirt to guarantee a size that you can cinch in with a belt over eveningwear or lightweight shirting and team with a knit for casual everyday outings. We’re also fully here for how good a modish blazer looks with bare legs and chunky boots (a rollover from 2019 that we’re not saying bye to anytime soon) in Milan’s early spring sunshine.
Work a car coat

Imagine a shortish trench coat that skims the body like a blazer and hits about the same length as a miniskirt — that’s the car coat. A fully genderless vintage cut that makes everything from a Brandy Melville sweater vest to Nike sweatshorts look as intentional as a Tarantino costume department moodboard. Wear it with classic black Dr Martens, wear it with dad slacks, wear it with striped cotton pyjama bottoms. You do you.
Shirting

Chances are you already own a cruelty-free ‘leather’ shirt. The ultimate transitional layer is paying dividends in easy-to-pull-together looks for the days when you don’t want to think about what you’re going to wear. Our 2021 update? A sorbet-pink polo neck and high-waisted wide-leg jeans.
Read Next: Everything You Need to Know About Buying Vegan Fashion
Originally published on Vogue.in

Photo: Getty
As the seasons switch to spring, Gigi Hadid is making transitional dressing look like a breeze. Her failsafe formula is simple: a trusty trench coat with a modern twist.
Exhibit A: Earlier this week, the new-gen super strolled the streets of New York City wrapped in a baby blue Lesyanebo trench. Paired with her go-to Dr Martens 1460 boots, she coordinated her peppy outerwear with a H_llo Friend mask. Swapping a classic beige trench for one by an emerging brand, such as Lesyanebo, is what gave Hadid’s outfit an edge.
Exhibit B: Her two-tone trench. Wearing a glossy iteration from Moncler Genius, the model paired the statement piece with black Wardrobe.Nyc zip cuff leggings(a firm favorite of Katie Holmes, too).
Using outerwear to elevate her look is something that the new mum has long since mastered. Last February, the fall/winter 2020 shows saw floor-sweeping maxi coats and plenty of padded versions sweep the runway – something that Hadid has taken note of. On several occasions, Hadid has worn chic belted black coats while out with her baby girl Khai.
And she’s played with earthy, muted tones, too. Hadid accessorizes her Mango wool coat and her calf-grazing Thom Browne staple with a Louis Vuitton shearling bucket hat – because for Gigi, stroller chic is all about delivering the unexpected.

Read Next: Gigi Hadid Goes Down Memory Lane with a Series of Never-Before-Seen Pictures
Originally published on Vogue.co.uk