Here’s Proof the Royal Shopping Effect Is Real
The royal family and members of their inner circle do more than just spread goodwill on behalf of their country. They have a major say in the way you dress, according to fashion e-tailer Lyst.
Of course, we always thought Kate Middleton, Princess Diana, and Meghan Markle, the newest addition, influenced fashion, but Lyst just reinforced that belief. The company has revealed that “a nod from a member of the royal inner circle, such as Pippa Middleton, is enough to send a brand’s sales through the roof with items selling out in hours,” according to the Daily Mail.
Not convinced?
During the royal tour of Canada last September, Kate wore a peasant-style pussybow blouse with an army green blazer, and, according to Lyst, on the last day of her tour, online searches for “bow blouses” increased by 62 percent, with most admirers opting for white or cream colors, like Kate’s. Apparently, just the blouse wasn’t enough, though. They wanted the whole look, and the proof is in the numbers: 13 percent of shoppers who purchased a cream blouse also bought a dark-colored blazer.
Since her blazer was designed by Smythe, unsurprisingly, searches for “Smythe blazer” increased by 114 percent, and the exact style sold out online within 48 hours.
That same week, Kate wore a red Preen by Thornton Bregazzi gown. The exact gown sold out on Lyst within 10 hours. And the search term “red dress” received a 102 percent boost.
While Meghan, Prince Harry’s girlfriend, is new to the game, she’s already made her mark in the fashion world. The Daily Mail reports that she has been credited with a surge in sales of her favorite pumps, boots, and designer bags.
For example, when the first pictures surfaced of Meghan and Harry holding hands while out shopping, “her Burberry Hazelhurst suede boots sold out on Lyst within 36 hours,” while searches for “ankle boots” and “Burberry boots” also soared, according to the Daily Mail.
The actress was also spotted wearing a pair of Sarah Flint ankle-tie flats, which have seen “a huge surge in interest” and have since sold out on the website (they’re also sold out on Barney’s). Lyst suspects her Saint Laurent Sac De Jour is “behind a boost in searches for ‘navy bags.’”
As for Princess Diana’s influence, you might be thinking, How could they track that 20 years after her death? Well, it seems she still makes quite an impact. Following last year’s announcement of the Princess Diana fashion exhibition at Kensington Palace, Lyst reported an unprecedented 87 percent spike in searches for little black dresses, with 12 percent of its LBD styles selling out altogether. You may be wondering, what do LBDs have to do with the princess of Wales? Have you forgotten the revenge LBD she made famous? We certainly haven’t; the image of her stepping out in a sexy off-the-shoulder black number for a charity dinner in 1994 following the news of her split from Prince Charles is emblazoned in our minds. And unsurprisingly, an off-the-shoulder crepe minidress from The Row, almost identical to Diana’s Christina Stambolian cocktail dress, has fast become the most viewed LBD on the Lyst site, according to the Daily Mail.
And while not officially a royal, Pippa Middleton counts when it comes to fashion. After her perky posterior in a white Alexander McQueen sheath made headlines at the royal wedding of her sister to Prince William, searches for “Alexander McQueen dresses” increased by 135 percent.
But all this shouldn’t really surprise you; Kate Middleton could make socks with sandals look good.
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