Fashion Unzipped podcast: A royal fashion scandal - and why pregnancy style definitely exists

Emilia Wickstead's Helene bridal gown - Morgan O'Donovan/MOD54Ltd
Emilia Wickstead's Helene bridal gown - Morgan O'Donovan/MOD54Ltd

Until recently, ‘pregnancy fashion’ was something of an oxymoron. It’s one of the small indignities of fashion that pregnancy — a time when many women feel their most womanly — can also be the point at which women are least served by brands. But a growing group of pregnancy-compatible labels is seeking to change that. Listen in as we introduce the brands rewriting the rules of maternity style.

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The scandal about THAT DRESS

Emilia Wickstead's Helene bridal gown - Credit:  
Emilia Wickstead's Helene bridal gown Credit:

The Royal Wedding may have happened more than a week ago, but the gown is still a topic of conversation in the fashion industry. And it’s causing problems for at least one designer. Emilia Wickstead has caused a kerfuffle by appearing to claim that the new Duchess of Sussex’s wedding gown was a copy of one of her bridal designs. But is the resemblance too close for comfort?

"I'm a bit uncomfortable with this," Charlie says. "Possibly something was said behind the scenes, it was a private conversation -- Emilia Wickstead makes beautiful dresses, and she is a very credible, brilliant designer on the London Fashion Week schedule. This must be awful for her brand."

Plus, hear Emily's contrarian view on the real royal wedding gown...

Can Wickstead bounce back to dress the Duchess again?

Cruising into the new fashion season

A look from the Louis Vuitton 2019 Cruise collection fashion show on Monday night - Credit: Getty
A look from the Louis Vuitton 2019 Cruise collection fashion show on Monday night Credit: Getty

Many fashion editors are out of the office but on duty this week, travelling between cruise shows for Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Gucci. We rang Lisa Armstrong in Cannes for her impressions of the shows.

"Vuitton, to me, was a really interesting combination of art and fashion," Lisa says. "You've got to be pretty confident as a designer to show your clothes among the Leger and Miro statues at Fondation Maeght.... But actually his clothes really work in that context.... They really did look brilliant among those statues and installations."

 

Read Lisa's full report from the latest Vuitton show

Drew Barrymore's budget beauty secrets

The actress has been sharing candid snaps of her bathroom cabinet under #beautyjunkieweek on Instagram. She just posted about her love for Baptiste dry shampoo, a snap at £1.50. "It's so refreshing seeing someone in the public eye honestly raving about budget beauty products," Sonia says. "I for one love Carmex. It's like £2, really good lip balm, and I use it all the time." Listen in for more on our favourite cheap beauty thrills.

Pregnancy style: yes, it exists

Emily Cronin in Beyond Nine jumpsuit - Credit: Andrew Crowley
Credit: Andrew Crowley

Byron linen jumpsuit, £110, Beyond Nine; Jess sandals, £196, Aeyde; Sasha Samuel locket necklace, £250, Brownsfashion.com; Baby Moon pendant, £260, Pascale James; Mini Hortensia handbag, Brownsfashion.com

A lot has changed since Emily's first pregnancy, five years ago. As she writes in today's paper, options used to be divided between cheap and cheerful and more expensive brands of the sort beloved by the Duchess of Cambridge.

This time around, "it's been really refreshing to see how the maternity style landscape has changed," Emily says. "One of the most encouraging things has been the proliferation of brands that promise to dress women before, during and after pregnancy."

Read more about the new wave of maternity brands here

 

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Please send your feedback and fashion questions to [email protected], and check back early next week for a special royal wedding episode. Happy listening!