Kate in Roland Mouret for Exclusive Dinner

William and Kate were out this evening for an elegant dinner at Claridge’s. Kate went back to a designer she has worn previously, Roland Mouret.

The dress Kate wore is from the designer’s 2009 line. Actress Carole Lombard is the inspiration for the gown; it is named the “Lombard.” Thanks for this identification go to WKW Facebook friend Melissa; she shared her find with all of us who continued to be stymied by the dress, unable to determine its maker. A number of notable women have worn the jade green version of the dress, including France’s First Lady Carla Bruni, who wore it for a state dinner at Elysee Palace in 2010.

Kate’s version of the dress clearly has some design elements that are different from the original Lombard dress, not the least of which is the color, an elegant creamy white. The shoulders on Kate’s dress varied slightly, as did the neckline, although her gown retained the thigh-high slit, making for careful entrances and exits from cars and other seated positions.

We do not yet have verification from Mr. Mouret that it is indeed a bespoke version of his 2009 creation, but close shots in the proper light show the seaming on Kate’s dress matching that on Carla Bruni’s. (Click here for the HuffPo pictures showing the dress, compare them to the images in the Daily Mail.) The piece features many of Mr. Mouret’s most distinctive design elements, including the pieced seams and sculptural details at the neck and waistline.

Kate accessorized with her Jimmy Choo Vamp sandals, careful observers noted the Duchess had her toes done in a rich crimson color.

Jewelry whiz Anna of My Small Obsessions advised us Kate was wearing the Beaut Jewelry ‘Eva’ earrings from the vintage style collection.

Beaut Jewelry

These were previously seen on Kate in November of last year, paired with a Jenny Packham gown at the National Memorial Arboretum Appeal fundraiser at St. James’s Palace. (Our original post on that is here.)

We have not yet identified Kate’s clutch; although the glittering gold and white color scheme and beading are reminiscent of a vintage bag, the styling is more updated, and this is clearly a contemporary piece.

The Daily Mail’s story offers quite a few photos; click here to see those images; below we share a snippet from the Mail’s story:

The royal couple were at Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair for a meeting of the Thirty Club, whose members are some of the most powerful men and women in advertising and the media.

Their meetings feature a guest speaker, in this case Prince William – who was following in the footsteps of many other senior royals who have made address including his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, his grand-father Prince Philip and aunt Princess Anne.

The Duke has been invited for around nine years now and thought that it was right to accept the invitation this year because of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

‘It also seemed rather apt as it his 30th birthday next month, they said.

Mark Stewart Twitter Feed (@RegalEyes)

More on the Premier’s thoughts about the dinner from Adelaide Now:

Mr Weatherill had high praise for the heir to the English throne.

He’s a lovely young man and he gave a very warm and personal speech and he’s obviously a fine young gentleman, he said.

He spoke very honestly and warmly about himself, his experiences and his hopes for the future.

They’re a very lovely couple and very natural and were wonderful company.

ITV News also covered the story; click here to view the video of Kate & William arriving at the hotel.

It was a beautiful look on Kate, the dress is lovely with elegant lines that enhance her build and speak to her aesthetic. While others thought the dark jade green color would have been prettier, the off-white seems more Kate, she wears the color quite frequently, and it has become something of a signature for her. I can’t help thinking the finer points of the dress might have been accentuated had Kate elected to wear her hair up; the style seems to beg for that.