Kate’s colour-block Roksanda Ilincic dress cheers up the crowds at Queen’s rainy street party

There is no doubt that in the five years since Kate Middleton became The Duchess of Cambridge, she’s become a deft dresser - carving out a distinctive style that juggles the need to be glamorous but also appropriate, whilst also cleverly making use of clothes to enhance her role.

That formula was evident again today as the The Duchess opted to wear a striking colour-block dress by Roksanda Ilincic that cheered up the crowds who had waited all morning for a glimpse of the Royals at a soggy street party to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday.

The designer dress was new in the sense that Kate had never been seen wearing it in public before but is currently on sale at discount site The Outnet, down from £980 to £490. It’s also a subtle way of showing support to the British fashion industry - on an occasion that is very much about celebrating the patriotism that is often required to live in a country where June sees torrential downpours. Designer Roksanda Ilincic was born in Serbia but has run her fashion business from the UK ever since she settled here in 1999, after training at the capital’s leading fashion college Central Saint Martin’s.

Ilincic's trademark is the statement dress; one that uses bold combinations of colour to keep conservative cuts looking modern and interesting. As such, she’s become the go-to designer for women such as Samantha Cameron and Michelle Obama, who need a power wardrobe for their public roles.

And, as The Duchess of Cambridge knows well, Ilincic's dresses are versatile and don’t date. Kate has one Roksanda dress - a light grey style, known as Peridot - that she has wore three times. She first debuted the light grey Peridot dress in 2011 on royal tour in Los Angeles, before dressing it with jewels an evening event in 2012 and then bringing it out for a day-time charity visit only last month.

But whilst her new Roksanda dress will win Kate plaudits for being daringly fashion forward (colour-blocking is never the easiest trend to pull off; let alone when it occurs across the waistband), there is one person who might not approve. Prince William wasn’t a fan of the yellow Roksanda dress Kate wore in Australia, which featured contrasting white panels similar to today’s. “William said I look like a banana,” Kate was reported as telling crowds as the couple arrived at Sydney's iconic Royal Opera House. Wonder if he’s he’s learnt to keep his opinions to himself since then?

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