Just days before her wedding in April 2011, Kate Middleton went shopping for honeymoon clothing wearing a short black v-neck dress from Issa London.
Kate paired the simple black wrap dress with a pair of brown kitten heel shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo with her coordinating Prada bowling bag.
About the black Issa dress:
The dress features a deep V-neckline with gathering detail at the waist and a tailored silhouette. It has short sleeves with slight gathering at the shoulder and back seam detailing. There is some confusion about the dress’s material online: some sources cite it’s silk while others say jersey.
Buying Kate’s black Issa dress:
Sadly, the black Issa dress has now sold out. If you’d like to own this exact dress, it’s worth checking eBay to see if one pops up in your size.
Kate Middleton wearing Issa:
Kate’s worn a number of dresses from Issa. Most famously, she wore the brand’s blue wrap dress when announcing her engagement to Prince William in 2011.
Kate wore two Issa London dresses during the couple’s first royal tour, choosing purple dress on Canada Day and a bird print dress for a youth BBQ reception.
Kate hasn’t been spotted wearing Issa since 2011 (to public engagements at least). It is speculated that this is because she wanted to distance herself away from the label. From WhatKateWore.com, via the Huffington Post –
Not only has the label’s founder, Daniella Helayel, left the company but prior to her departure, she sold a controlling interest in the brand to Camilla al-Fayed. Why should that matter? Because her father, Mohamed al-Fayed, previous Harrod’s owner, has been vocal in his belief the Royal Family is responsible for the death of his son, Dodi al-Fayed, along with Princess Diana. That topic is the subject of a film he financed, Unlawful Killing. In the movie, the Queen is referred to as ‘a gangster in a tiara’ and Prince Philip is called a psychopath.
About Issa London:
Once a darling of the British fashion scene, Issa London was founded in 2001 by Brazilian-born designer Daniella Helayel. Known for its iconic wrap dresses and vibrant colour palettes, the brand quickly became a favourite among celebrities and royals alike.
However, following financial difficulties—ironically due to the Kate effect—House of Fraser acquired the brand in 2017. The company sold new and archive Issa pieces on their website for a few seasons. Sadly, at the time of writing, the brand is no longer live.