How the Duchess of Cambridge can master Scandi chic on her visit to Norway and Sweden

At the end of January, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will undertake a long-anticipated tour of Sweden and Norway - the trip was postponed from November, when the Duchess was in the early stages of her third pregnancy. 

Kate is well known for her thoughtful approach to dressing, particularly for international engagements where she is adept at working with her stylist, Natasha Archer, to seek out local design talent as well as flying the flag for British fashion brands. Suggestions of a national palette also provide subtle sartorial nods to her host countries (at her first appearance in Warsaw earlier this year, she wore the colours of the Polish flag) plus she loves to put a twist on local dresses like her Anita Dongre version of the Gulrukh, worn in India back in 2016.

Much preparation always goes into planning her wardrobe, but never more so, we imagine, than on this tour, which has two vital considerations. Firstly, the bump (with the Duchess expected to give birth to her third child in April, she will be between six and seven months pregnant) and secondly, the chilly Scandinavian weather, as average temperatures in both countries in late January see sub-zero highs. 

We’ve rounded up the labels which might- we hope- appear in her Nordic style arsenal.

A classic Swedish label

Preppy dress circa £133 newhouse.se

The tour kicks off with two days in the Swedish capital, Stockholm. Alongside their Nordic neighbours, the Swedes are famed stylistas. The buzz around Stockholm Fashion Week (and its counterpart Copenhagen Fashion Week) is feverish, and Scandi influencers are increasingly setting the style barometer for the rest of Europe. Though the slick, minimal aesthetic may be a little edgier than the Duchess’ tried-and-tested, at-home staples, certain labels will tick the royal style boxes. First up, Newhouse, a well-established local favourite with roots back in the 1940s, which delivers classic pieces using beautiful materials. The gold-buttoned classic tweed coat in navy and the Audrey or Preppy dresses, are very much the Duchess’ silhouette.

Classic tweed coat circa £330 newhouse.se

The slick daywear options

Siri von Bothmer, fashion editor of Nordic Style Magazine, is an expert in local dress codes. To beat the chill, she says, "layering is key when it comes to Scandi winters. Skirt over jeans, blazer under a leather jacket and a summer dress over a turtleneck." Labels that will help the Duchess on her way include Filippa K, the Stockholm-based designer whose minimal pieces with a sporty edge cater to a well-established international audience, via stockists including Net-a-Porter. Or she could seek out House of Dagmar, a sustainable design studio set up by three sisters - we’ve earmarked the Alicia coat, below, for outside arrangements. Whyred’s high-impact trousers suits would be a bold fashion move, though the label’s printed dresses are more in the Duchess’ comfort zone.

Alicia coat, £545, houseofdagmar.com

Stockholm’s stars for all-out-glamour 

"Minimalism often comes to mind when talking about Nordic style," says von Bothmer of the evolving Scandi aesthetic. "But the winds are changing - we keep the minimalism in our base layers and core, but we’ve seen prints, patterns and colors mixed in quirky ways." For evening occasions, where a little more glamour is required, Par Engsheden is the Swedish royal family’s couturier of choice.

The designer of Princess Victoria’s wedding dress has a roster of high-profile clients (the list is a closely-guarded secret). Though his designs are more colourful and outlandish than, say, the UK's Jenny Packham or Roland Mouret, he delivers wow factor and would be a popular local choice. The Duchess might also look to Jennifer Blom, a regular at Stockholm Fashion Week; several Swedish celebrities have been snapped in the designer's head-turning creations and her vivid prints and floaty silhouettes are perfectly suited to bump-dressing.

Effortless Norwegian elegance

In a Vogue interview earlier this year Christina Exsteen, creative director at By Malene Birger, pointed out that although the style DNA is similar across all Nordic countries, there are notable variations on the theme - where Swedish dressers are very minimal, Norwegians are likely to up the glamour. Cue Veronica B Vallenes for the Oslo chapter of the Duchess's tour - a Norwegian designer with a decidedly Parisian flavour. Her vivid prints, sophisticated tailoring and wrap coats would cause quite a stir - we can see Kate pairing the latter with her signature black tights and long boots.

The Scandi style setters

It would be worth the Duchess casting her eye outside of the two countries she’s visiting for wider options to inject Scandi flavour into her tour wardrobe. Denmark, and most specifically, Copenhagen is full of brands that come with serious style credentials. By Malene Birger is a label the Duchess has worn before during her pregnancy with Prince George and the house creates sleek coat dresses, perfect for both icy weather and a burgeoning bump.

Perhaps she’ll recycle the navy coat she wore then, or road test something tailor made for the occasion. To really earn her Scandi style stripes, she might opt for a Saks Potts, a brand whose colourful coat styles are guaranteed to work against the sub-zero temperatures.

The cult Copenhagen label

For real fashion kudos, editors will be watching to see whether the Duchess will join the international collective of #GanniGirls. Copenhagen-based Ganni is a favourite with fashion insiders thanks to their quirky, colourful take on the Nordic aesthetic and an outing would earn serious style points for Kate. Watch this space...