The woman behind the Royal childrens impeccable style
Dressing a child for a Royal engagement may appear to be easy, but there's actually a lot more to it than matching a pretty dress with the appropriate coat and shoes.
Just ask Amaia Arrieta whose label, Amaia Kids, was worn by several royal children over the course of the Jubilee weekend. “There are a lot of different events, and plans change," she says. "And the UK weather is always a lottery, so if it's nice weather they need one outfit, when it’s not nice weather they need another - and then the kids grow out of things quickly. So it's quite a challenge for the team.”
These outfits must be practical too, because Royal children play and move around like any others - as Louis demonstrated to hilarious effect. “What they wear can’t be creasable, because some fabrics crease very easily, so you need to take quite a few things into account, which I understand,” Arrieta adds. “They don't appear in public that often, so when they do, they need to look nice and appropriate.”
Enter Amaia Kids, whose timeless designs have proved to be perfect attire for navigating these demands. Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis both wore Amaia coats for the Jubilee pageant on Sunday, and Charlotte wore a different coat and a pair of shoes by Amaia on Saturday’s visit to Wales.
With hand-smocked floral dresses, Peter Pan collared rompers and timeless knitwear, it’s easy to see the appeal. They’re the kind of clothes worn by children in Arrieta’s native Spain, but she was living in London when she became pregnant with her first child back in 2002, and couldn’t find anything like that amidst the gaudy jersey that populated British childrenswear shops – so she decided to fill that gap in the market.
“In Spain you have a huge offering at the mid-range price point,” she says. “Here you have the very high end, and the high street and nothing in the middle.”
No surprise, then, that the Duchess of Cambridge became such a fan, and in 2014 dressed a 16-month-old Prince George in Amaia shorts for his Christmas portrait. It’s thought that the Cambridges’ Spanish-born Norland Nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, introduced the family to some of her own favourite childrenswear brands, and the timeless aesthetic favoured on the continent is perfect for royal life.
This is no small thing, and something Arrieta says Kate understands intimately. “The children never look pretentious or over the top,” she says. “It’s an evolution of what children wore 20 or 30 years ago, with a little modern touch. I think she's very good at it.”
We saw that with young Louis on Thursday, who wore his father’s old sailor outfit for Trooping the Colour last Thursday. A pitch-perfect choice for a mischievous four-year-old, given the pomp and ceremony of the occasion.
You don’t need to be a Duchess to appreciate these qualities, but in identifying them, the Cambridges have helped shape what aspirational childrenswear looks like in 2022.
It’s less of the gimmicky slogan rompers and tiny designer trainers, and more timelessness, also seen at Rachel Riley, La Coqueta, Pepa & Co and Trotters – all of which have been worn by the young Royals, along with basics from Next, Tu at Sainsbury’s and Boden.
These labels aren’t cheap – a drop in the ocean for the Royals perhaps – but £50 for a pair of baby dungarees is quite the outlay for the rest of us. There are always sales though. Plus each piece can be worn by younger siblings, and they’re special enough to keep for the next generation too.
That’s the perspective of fashion and lifestyle influencer Louise Roe: “I love dressing my daughters in gorgeous dresses,” she says. “Amaia has one of the most beautifully made children’s collections ever - I am obsessed.”
So if you are only going to buy a handful of heirloom pieces for the little darlings in your life, what should they be? Read on for the Royal guide to heirloom childrenswear…
Five wardrobe staples for the Royal family
The sailor suit
Royal children have been wearing sailor suits for aeons. Swedish childrenswear label Mini Rodini has a contemporary un-fussy take on the look. Get the look: woven sailor jumpsuit, £80, Mini Rodini.
The wool coat
The very coat worn by Princess Charlotte during the Jubilee celebrations. This boiled Austrian wool version will be seriously cosy in winter. Get the look: razorbil coat, £140, Amaia Kids.
The nautical knit
This is very Royal baby with its sweet boat motif, plus the cotton knit is machine-washable. Team with socks and shorts a la baby Prince George. Get the look: boat motif cotton jumper, £72, Pepa & Co.
The floral frock
It is impossible to resist a floral hand-smocked dress. Steer clear of white collars and cuffs though, they stand no chance against chocolate birthday cake. Get the look: multi Violeta smock dress, £52, La Coqueta.
The Mary-Jane shoes
Team these adorable Mary-Janes with frilly white socks. For boys, brown buckle shoes with plain white socks are ideal for smart occasions. Get the look: handmade button strap slipper, £55, Rachel Riley.
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