Irish Designer Orla Kiely Is Latest Retailer To Benefit From The Kate Effect

The Duchess sparked a fashion frenzy last March when she chose to wear high street brand Reiss to meet the Obama’s during their visit to Buckingham Palace. The ‘Shola’ bandage style shift dress sold out almost instantly and caused the Reiss website to crash.

"I know Michelle, can you believe this only cost me 200 quid?!" 

Similarly, her penchant for a pair of LK Bennett ‘Sledge’ nude court shoe has boosted the company’s profits by 17 per cent - no mean feat in the current economic climate - and has led to the British retailer expanding into the US market, where they have recently opened a flagship 2,100 sq ft store in Manhattan.

The 'Birdie' dress was an instant sell-out

And now the latest brand to enjoy the Kate effect is UK based Irish designer Orla Kiely. Best known for her quirky prints and use of colour the designer already sells her brand in over 30 countries, the company reported a sales increase of 19 per cent last year. The €202 ‘Birdie’ dress worn by Kate in February sold out almost instantly on the company’s website and Kate’s sister Pippa has also displayed a preference for the label, wearing an Orla Kiely cardigan to Wimbledon last summer.

We bet Orla was delira when she saw Kate in this number

The business run by the designer and her husband Dermott Rowan had reported pre-tax losses of 57 per cent at the end of last year but they no doubt hope that the increased sales and expansion into the US market and Asia will help increase turnover this year.

Orla Kiely is available at Brown Thomas, Arnotts, the Kilkenny Shop and online from orlakiely.com