Kate Middleton wore a dress by the Dutch designer Jet Shenkman this week and since then her phone has been red-hot by all requests from all over the world. “It’s a madhouse here.”
Grand Duchess Kate Middleton wore the dress of Jet Shenkmans fashion brand Eponine London on Tuesday during a visit to two schools. “It was a big surprise,” says Jet from London to RTL News. “I immediately received a lot of reactions from all over the world, especially from America.”
To request
She also received emails and phone calls with requests from Japan and Italy. “It is incredible how many people want to wear what they wear.”
It did not come as a complete surprise that Middleton wore Eponine’s dress, Jet says. “We knew that the dress was for her, because we made it especially for her, but of course you never know if she is really going to wear it.”
Third design
It is the third time that Kate Middleton has chosen a dress from Jets brand. In 2016 she wore a red-white checkered dress by Eponine and in 2017 Middleton chose a blue wool dress from the brand. That the British royal designs of Eponine wears, does a lot of good for the brand. “You are suddenly taken more seriously in the fashion world.”
The Dutch Jet (57) moved to London at the age of 21, to work as a secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After her work there she became a fashion stylist and in 2011 she founded the fashion brand Eponine London from her own home.
50s and 60s
Jet describes her designs as classic with a twist. When she designs, she has her own generation and her own generation in mind. “I am 58 and I think many women of my age have trouble finding nice clothes that do not show too much arm and leg.” For her design she is mainly inspired by the 50s and 60s, ‘when clothing was elegant but feminine’.
A famous woman in your designs brings great publicity, says Jet. During the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Harry’s ex Cressida Bonas wore a design by Eponine. The requests also flowed in that time. “That dress has exploded, especially in Thailand, and copied a lot.”
Couture pieces by Eponine are on sale from 2000 pounds and the green dress that Kate wore has a price tag of 2100 pounds. That is not cheap, Jet admits, but the clothes are then completely tailor-made. She is also working on a more affordable, online collection with prices starting at 425 pounds.
Who would like to see her in her pieces? “I would love Michelle Obama very much, because she would like to see Queen Maxima in my designs.”
To celebrate
Due to all the hustle and bustle after the publicity, Jet’s team has not yet been able to celebrate its success. “We did have high-fives in the studio when we saw that they carried our design,” says Jet. “We enjoy it so much! Tomorrow we will have a drink on it.”