Kate in Erdem for Black-Tie Dinner in Sweden

For tonight’s black-tie dinner at the British Ambassador’s residence, Kate wore Erdem. 

Above, the Duke and Duchess with Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. Below, the couple before dinner with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and his wife Sulla Löfven. 

From a Hello! story about tonight’s party: 

Before the meal, the Duke and Duchess attended a short meeting with the Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven and his wife Ulla, telling them about their visit to the host country so far. William proudly told them that he had scored a winning goal earlier in the day during a penalty shootout against Kate at a Bandy hockey event.

The Duchess, who laughed and patted him affectionately on the arm, insisted: “I let him win.”

Below, Prince William with actor Stellan Skarsgård, known for multiple roles, including The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. 

Kate on the arm of ambassador David Cairns as the guests move from cocktails to dinner.   

Crown Princess Victoria.

Oscar winner Alicia Vikander with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. 

The table with Kate’s place card.

From The Daily Mail’s coverage:

During dinner Kate sat between the ambassador and Skarsgard, best known for his roles in the Thor and Pirates Of The Caribbean movies.

Hello! reports the meal included “…smoked salmon with quail egg, horseradish cream on a bed of salad, followed by guinea fowl with stir-fried vegetables and mashed potatoes. For dessert, they enjoyed blackberry soufflé with chocolate ganache, before a selection of British cheese.” 

We turn now to what Kate wore for this evening’s elegant party. 

The Duchess was in a dress by another of her go to designers, Erdem.  

From a Harper’s Bazaar story: 

While the rest of the group stuck to all-black attire, Middleton stood out in a silk, gold dress by Erdem. 

…it looks like the British royal saved the best for last. Middleton’s shiny number featured a colorful floral print, a frilled high collar, and ruffles at the sleeves and hem. The look was just bold enough while still adhering to her classic, royal wardrobe.

The dress is Erdem’s Stephanie style; it is from the a/w 2017 collection in a distinctive print called Winterbourne. 

Made from 100% silk satin, the dress has a high neck, ruffled placket and collar, gathers at the shoulder, a tiered skirt, and a self-bow or sash. It originally retailed at Erdem for $2595; most recently it was on sale for $1555. 

A closer look at the fabric better shows the detailed print and sheen of the silk. Thank you to HeavenQRF on Twitter for another speedy ID! 

My guess is Kate chose the gold as a nod to the Swedish flag. There has been speculation on social media that the dress shows better in person than it shoots. It is classic Erdem: a gown in a floral print with multiple design elements as listed above. As with many Erdem designs, there is an awful lot going on. While it isn’t a design I am fond of, kudos to Kate for being true to her own choices and picking a piece in a bold look that she probably knew would be criticized, a design Erdem calls a “true standout.”  

The Stephanie is currently available in a black with a Japanese floral print, we show it at Matches Fashion. 

Kate carried a new clutch. Middleton Maven suggests it could be a version of this Jimmy Choo style.  

The Duchess wore Diana’s Collingwood diamond and pearl earrings, as well as the late Princess’s pearl bracelet. It also appears she had on her Gianvito Rossi pumps.

Kate wore her hair up. 

A request regarding comments before: because this is clearly a polarizing look it seems a good idea to ask everyone to maintain a respectful tone when commenting. History has proven that when there are styles prompting strong opinions and reactions it can be easy to forget the page guidelines. Thank you in advance for the help on this one!   

Here are today’s four looks.  

We’ll see you tomorrow for day 2 of the tour. Here is the agenda. 

• Wednesday,  January 31:
  • The second day of the tour begins at the Karolinska Institute, where Kate and William will be accompanied by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. They will learn about “…Sweden’s approach to managing mental health challenges” as well as the YAM (Youth Aware of Mental Health) program, targeted at helping 14 and 15-year olds. The four royals then visit Matteusskolan, a municipal primary school where they will meet children who have taken part in the YAM program. 
  • Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel travel with the Duke and Duchess to an NK department store in Stockholm where they will open an exhibition on UK brands that have a presence in Sweden. 
  • This is followed by a trip to Haga Palace, the official residence for Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel; the foursome will enjoy a private tea together. 
  • The final engagement of the day is a ‘celebration of culture’ at Fotografiska Galleries, where Prince William will deliver a speech. Weather permitting, “Their Royal Highnesses will travel to Fotografiska by boat, allowing The Duke and Duchess to take in the views of Stockholm by night as they pass around the harbour.”