Princess Charlotte ‘makes fashion history’ as birthday dress sells out in hours
Princess Charlotte is on her way to becoming a fashion icon after a dress she wore on her birthday became one of the quickest selling items of the year.
Fans snapped up the pretty floral frock, designed by Rachel Riley, so rapidly it became the fastest selling piece of clothing in the brand’s 25-year history.
The Princess was pictured wearing the dress when she turned six on May 2, in a birthday portrait taken by her mother Kate Middleton.
The blue frock with pink and white flowers on it and pink buttons, had puff sleeves and costs £59 to buy from esteemed children’s designer brand Rachel Riley.
(Image: rachelriley.co.uk)
The designer told Hello! Magazine she had no idea that Charlotte was going to be wearing her dress and it was a lovely surprise.
“It was such a treat to see! It was a delightful surprise,” Rachel said. “I became aware of the picture when my friends and family started sending me messages asking if the dress was one of ours.”
The moment the images of the adorable Princess in the dress were released, there was a huge surge in interest, the designer claims.
(Image: GETTY)
(Image: Internet Unknown)
So much so that the product sold out within 12 hours and the company sold six months’ worth of the item in just three days.
“We had so many messages from customers asking if they could still order it, so we set up a pre-order system and it will be back in stock in a few weeks. It’s our fastest selling royal item, ever,” said Rachel.
The Princess has worn a Rachel Riley number before, in 2019, when she wore a similar dress to visit the garden her mother Kate designed at the Chelsea Flower Show.
(Image: Getty Images)
That time she had on the ‘Ditsy Floral Button Front Dress’, which cost £65.
The ‘Ditsy’ became the brand’s second highest selling dress, and there was so much interest in the design that Rachel added it to her Heritage Collection, making it permanently available.
Royalists have previously remarked that Kate and Charlotte’s fashion style is very similar.
Charlotte’s big brother Prince George’s outfit choices are also hugely popular with shoppers.
The little shorts and Cath Kidston tank top he wore in official Christmas portraits when he was 16-months old flew off the shelves.
The cord shorts and shirt set worn by the young Prince for The Queen’s 90th birthday, also by Rachel Riley, became the third best-selling item for the brand.
