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.

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.

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.

The event was at the picturesque Orangery at Lazienki Park. Prince William addressing the guests; he started and ended his speech in Polish.

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.

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.

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. 

We move now to our look at what Kate wore this evening.

The Duchess was in a white midi-length dress that featured multi-dimensional detailing.

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

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.

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…

A side view.

This gives you a sense of the dimensional elements of the piece.

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.

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.

They were both worn when Kate and William were in Paris. Below, the necklace with its asymmetric design.

And the Balenciaga ‘Eugenia’ faux pearl and silvertone clips. 

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

Here is your graphic showing tomorrow’s events.

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℃).