London - Her effortless sense of style has made her one of the world’s most-watched women.
So perhaps it was only a matter of time before technology provided fashion followers with instant access to the Duchess of Cambridge’s wardrobe.
A mobile phone app has been created which enables users to see what Kate was wearing at any particular event, find out who designed it, where to buy it and what it costs.
The software is the creation of Helen Barclay, who admits she is “absolutely obsessed” with the duchess’s style. She has given up her career as an actress to concentrate on keeping the app up to date.
The 28-year-old, who has sold thousands of copies at 69p a time, said: “I love what I do now. Before I made the app, I kept seeing her in magazines and in newspapers, and everywhere she popped up she always looked immaculate and dressed appropriately to the occasion. I model my own style on Kate’s. I love her jean and jacket combos matched with little chiffon shirts, which is the kind of thing I wear all the time.
“More and more people are modelling themselves on Kate’s style, especially now that she’s become a fashion icon.”
Users of the Kate’s Style List app can click through to her favourite designers, compile lists of their own favourites, search by accessories, and see where to find her most sought-after high street items, such as the £5 (about R60) scarf from Next she wore during the Olympics. Miss Barclay, from Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, said: “I had the idea for the app while out shopping last Christmas, and I’ve not looked back. A couple of friends helped me develop it. Every day you can log on and read the latest story about Kate, what she’s been wearing and where to get it.
“I spend a lot of my time trawling fashion websites and looking at the designers’ shows online so I can identify her pieces. I also follow a lot of fashion writers on Twitter so I know what Kate will be wearing when she next appears.
“She mixes high street with designer so you can find a lot of the things she wears in shops such as Reiss and Zara, which is where I buy most of my clothes.”
She said the app has been particularly popular with Americans, adding: “Kate is always so elegant and so well dressed that people never get bored of her classic style.” - Daily Mail