To welcome the President and First Lady of Nigeria on their State Visit to the United Kingdom, Prince William and Princess Kate arrived at the Fairmont Hotel in Windsor before travelling to Windsor Castle for a ceremonial welcome. The Princess of Wales took the opportunity to flex her sartorial diplomacy skills with her outfit: a monochromatic gray ensemble anchored by a tailored coat from British-Nigerian designer, Tolu Coker.
The designer’s website describes the crisply-tailored Blazer Frock Coat as “a longline silhouette with a sculpted waist, strong shoulder and refined double breasted front.” The coat is “designed to move seamlessly between occasion and everyday dressing,” the designer wrote, encouraging shoppers to “wear yours with heels for a polished statement or dress it down with flats for a more effortless look.” The piece is extremely suitable for a royal occasion, with an added hint of edginess from the corset detail on the back of the coat—an unusually sultry style for the Princess of Wales.
Tolu Coker is an up-and-coming British-Nigerian designer, who is inspired by the “duality” of her heritage, alongside her “family history of social activism and passion for social change.” The Central Saint Martins alum wrote that she “centers quality tailoring, cultural preservation and collaborative multidisciplinary practice over the brevity of seasonal fashion trends.” The designer launched her eponymous brand in 2021, following successful roles at J W Anderson, Celine and Maison Margiela.
None other than King Charles himself is a fan of Tolu Coker’s designs and the ascent of her business. The King was seated front row at Coker’s recent London Fashion Week show to kick off the annual fashion event. Coker received mentoring through the Prince’s Trust (now the King’s Trust) in 2018 when she decided to launch her own brand. “When you’ve got a dream of doing something, [...] the Prince’s Trust was a big resource,” she said of her experience. “I met a lot of people who now are entrepreneurs, people from working class backgrounds who just wanted to start a business.”
Princess Kate didn’t need much to accessorize such a strong statement coat. She wore a pair of Hugo Boss gray snakeskin heels and carried a black top-handle bag from Mulberry. An elegantly-perched cocktail hat matched her coat, with Princess Diana’s Collingwood earrings peeking out for a touch of sparkle to complete the look.
