The Duchess of Cambridge effect was in evidence again at one of the most prestigious prizes in fashion with two of her favourite designers, including the woman behind the dress she wore for her marriage to Prince William, competing for the top award.
Sarah Burton, who has become one of the world's best-known fashion designers thanks to that dress, has been nominated as designer of the year at the British Fashion Awards along with Erdem Moralioglu, whose navy lace dress was worn by the duchess on her first foreign tour of Canada.
The nomination caps a remarkable year for Burton who was named creative director of the Alexander McQueen label in May last year, following its founder's suicide three months before.
She has garnered critical acclaim for the collections she has created since his death, which fashion critics have praised for rebooting the brand in a more feminine, delicate direction.
Her wedding dresses for the duchess and her maid of honour, Pippa Middleton, were almost universally deemed a triumph.
Moralioglu – who goes by his first name Erdem – counts Samantha Cameron, the prime minister's wife, among his fans, as well as her predecessor in No 10, Sarah Brown. Michelle Obama has been another customer, and the Canadian-born designer has also dressed Thandie Newton, Keira Knightley, and Sienna Miller. This is the second year in a row that he has been nominated as designer of the year.
Also competing for the top award is Christopher Kane, a favourite of American Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who but for the royal wedding might have been the favourite.
The Scottish designer's clothes, famous for their offbeat references, were worn by Samantha Cameron to Downing Street's London fashion week drinks reception earlier this year.
Other high profile nominations in the awards, which will be announced in late November, include Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham – both up for the Designer Brand of the Year category along with Burberry and the now London-based Tom Ford.
The model of the year category pitches newcomer Georgia Jagger, the 19 year-old, daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, against two established supermodels, Kristen McMenamy and Stella Tennant.
