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The Duchess is Daring in Gosia Baczyńska Party Frock

The Duchess went fashion-forward this evening, wearing a dress with an edgier design (no pun intended) than normal for an evening cocktail party in Warsaw.UK in Poland Flckr

We say ‘daring’ because the bespoke piece by Polish designer Gosia Baczyńska is a bit beyond Kate’s working wardrobe ‘comfort zone.’ Below, the Duke and Duchess on their way to the function.Duchess Cambridge Kate Middleton Gosia Baczyńska Dress

The party was hosted by the British Ambassador to Poland, Jonathan Knott. He is next to Mrs. Kornhauser-Duda in red, Poland’s first lady. The occasion was a party honoring HM’s birthday.Polish Emabssy UK

The event was at the picturesque Orangery at Lazienki ParkPrince William addressing the guests; he started and ended his speech in Polish.Poland Tour Day 1 Warsaw HM Queen's Birthday Party via UKp Flc 777 x 580

From The Daily Mail’s story:

During tonight’s event, the Duke made a speech on behalf of his grandmother, who turned 91 earlier this year and has started officially delegating public duties to younger royals like Kate, William and Harry.

UK in Poland Flickr (Click photo to visit gallery)

And from The Express

He said: “The links between Britain and Poland go back centuries, and are steeped in a rich history of cultural exchange and close commercial relations.

William also noted that “Polish is now the second most spoken language in the United Kingdom.”

It looked like an ideal evening for a sleeveless frock.Kate Middleton Duchess Cambridge white party dress Poland Gosia Baczynska

As noted above, Kate wore a dress by a local designer, Gosia Baczyńska; Ms. Baczyńska shared a peek at her invitation to the big do on her Facebook page

Basia Facebook page

Gosia Baczyńska Facebook page (Click photo to visit page)

We move now to our look at what Kate wore this evening.UK in Poland Flickr

The Duchess was in a white midi-length dress that featured multi-dimensional detailing.UK in Poland Flickr (Click photo to visit gallery)

A closer view of the waist shows some of the seam and embellishment detail.

©Zak Hussein

©Zak Hussein

From The Telegraph’s Bethan Holt:

Kate selected a white midi-length cocktail dress with architectural black detailing by one of Poland’s best-known designers, Gosia Baczynska…

Louisa James of ITV shared this photo providing a view of the front of the frock.Louisa James ITV

More from Bethan Holt’s column:

…the dress is a bold choice from the Duchess who has shown greater willingness to experiment with her style over the past year. The jagged, black-edge pleats on the bottom part of the dress offer a playful contrast to the delicate floral black applique at the waist while the deep v-neckline frames her pearl necklace…

©Zak Hussein/UK in Poland/UK in Poland

A side view.UK in Poland Flickr (Click photo to visit site)

This gives you a sense of the dimensional elements of the piece.UK in Poland

There is a dress available on the Gosia Baczyńska website featuring some of the same detailing as Kate’s frock. The Duchess accessorized with her black Prada clutch.UK in Poland/Prada

And the Gianvito Rossi Suede Ankle Strap d’Orsay heels first seen in Paris. (The center shot is not from tonight, it is from the Paris trip.) The style is available in a few large sizes at Barneys ($775); offered in a few sizes at Net-a-Porter; and Bergdorf has the style discounted 50% (now $397) in the navy colorway, in limited sizing.©

Kate’s hair was up. You may recognize the necklace and earrings.©Splash News

They were both worn when Kate and William were in Paris. Below, the necklace with its asymmetric design.Duchess Cambridge Kate Middleton Poland Faux Pearl Necklace Pictures

And the Balenciaga ‘Eugenia’ faux pearl and silvertone clips

Kate Poland Warsaw Queen's Birthday Party July 17 2017 Balenciaga Earrings and Product

Polaris/Net-a-Porter/UK in Poland

It was a delight to see Kate try something new and different.

Here is your graphic showing tomorrow’s events.Graphic Tour Events Tuesday July 18 Poland Germany

It is likely to be a challenging day with the morning’s first engagement at Stutthof.

Tuesday, July 18:

  • The Duke and Duchess visit Stutthof Concentration Camp, the first Nazi camp set up outside German borders; while at the camp TRH will meet five Holocaust survivors.
  • The couple then travels to Gdansk (about 20 miles from Stutthof) where their first event is a street party at the city’s famous Old Market Square. The couple will watch “amber craftsmen at work, and listen to local musicians and artists.”
  • Kate and William’s next engagement is at the Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre, opened in 2014.  Williams father, the Prince of Wales, is the Theatre’s Patron. The couple will watch a special performance and “…attend a small reception inside the theatre for Poles from the world of arts, culture and media.”
  • The final stop is the European Solidarity Centre, located in the Gdansk shipyards, where the Solidarity movement was founded. The Duke and Duchess will tour the Centre’s Museum, meet founding members of the Solidarity movement and lay a wreath at the organization’s iconic Monument.
  •  The duo will then join George and Charlotte for another night at Belvedere Palace.

And weather forecast, which doesn’t look too bad with a high of 69℉ (about 21℃).

Weather.com

Weather.com

 

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Anne-Christine

Saturday 22nd of July 2017

If you are still accepting comments, here it is: I love this on the Duchess. It is definitely a departure from her usual looks, but it is eye-catching and unique. The darts are noticeable, but I don't think they detract from the overall effect, which is stylish and sophisticated. I love that she chose a Polish designer as well. The clutch, hair, shoes and asymmetric faux pearls all complement the dress. Stunning and bold.

Kimberly

Thursday 20th of July 2017

I love that she stepped outside of her comfort zone, but the bust of this dress is horrific. I keep visualizing Madonna's cone bra. Yikes.

Fashionista

Thursday 20th of July 2017

Beautiful. I'm betting that the movement of those jagged-edge pleats is stunning, and that this dress looks incredible in person. Wish we had a glimpse of a video.

The darts are a design element; they are expertly-tailored, intentional and look fine. This is an edgy, avant garde piece, and the Duchess "balanced" that edginess for this official event with safe, conservative accessories and hair...and she pulled it off! Hair down would've competed with the pleats; a high ponytail, on the other hand, would've been the perfect finishing touch.

Jordan Parks

Wednesday 19th of July 2017

Overall I think Kate looked great and elegant as always and I think it was great she went with a Polish designer......I just do not like the dress. I think it fit her superbly and the general silhouette of the dress is perfect for her, I am just not a fan of the actual dress. I always applaud her for going down the edgy route, but this is a little avant-garde for me.

Jennifer

Wednesday 19th of July 2017

There's much I don't like about this look, but all of that is outweighed by my respect for Kate's constant effort toward sartorial diplomacy. Great move to choose a dress from a Polish designer, and not a "toned down" one at that. She decided to wear the best of what the designer represents, tailoring oddities and all, and pull out all the stops. For that, she earns my respect and I'm sure her hosts appreciated it. (On the same note I love that she had Charlotte in a red and white dress coming off the plane -- this woman has a lot of class.)

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