Despite a strong tiara game, impeccable grooming and a wardrobe stuffed with stiff gowns, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, by way of Australia, trails Princess Catherine of Wales and numerous Dior-mad European royals in the fashion stakes.
This is one of many reasons Mary is crown-ready, following the surprise Christmas abdication announcement by Queen Margrethe, who has reigned for more than 51 years.
At each banquet, reception and ribbon-cutting Mary attends, the lasting impression is of royalty rather than the latest jacket from Chanel.
“Mary’s fashion choices aren’t obvious and she is not a slave to high fashion, opting for well-made or sustainable styles that will stand the test of time,” says Mattie Cronan, style director of the Australian Women’s Weekly.
Cronan dressed the princess in gowns by Australian designers Carla Zampatti, Aurelio Costarella, Toni Maticevski and Jayson Brunsdon for the magazine’s 80th anniversary issue in 2013.
“I think she sets herself apart from being fashionable,” says Brunsdon, who helped dress Princess Diana on her visit to Sydney in 1996. “I don’t think Mary needs to be fashionable.”
Reserved and royal
Since trading Sydney for Copenhagen and marrying Prince Frederik in 2004, Mary has chosen outfits that make the right royal impression. While some of her princess peers rely on the high impact of Alexander McQueen’s architectural silhouettes, Jenny Packham’s embellishment and Alessandra Rich’s figure-skimming styles, Mary plays it safe.
“She presents the royal image that nothing changes, and that’s the whole idea of the monarchy,” says Brunsdon. “That’s the message they like to send out.”
Queen Margrethe in her floral raincoat made from tablecloth material on summer vacation in Grasten, Denmark in July, 2017.Credit: Getty
An understated style strategy has allowed Mary’s mother-in-law Margrethe, who has an eccentric and artistic approach to dressing, to remain the focus of Denmark’s monarchy.
Unlike Diana or Catherine, Mary never steals focus from her husband or the queen.
Snatching the spotlight from Margrethe would even be a challenge for Catherine, with the departing queen having expressed her creativity in extravagant gold brocade gowns, romantic florals and even a raincoat crafted from tablecloth material.
“I think it’s intentional,” Brunsdon says of Mary’s reticence to make bold choices.
“Mary’s style has stayed pretty consistent over the past two decades,” Cronan says. “She is polished, unfussy and always elegant.”
Style signatures
Consistency over couture was an approach used with great success by the late Queen Elizabeth and her dresser Angela Kelly, who deftly deployed a monochromic formula of matching hats, coats and gloves. Fortunately, Mary only wears hats on the most formal of occasions, sticking to sleek blow waves or impenetrable up dos for banquets.
“Mary has a go-to look and silhouette which has remained consistent over the years,” Cronan says. “Think neat tailored dresses, wide-leg trouser suits or fit-and-flare skirts worn with a blouse. This works for any occasion for a woman who is on the world’s stage and has her every move photographed.”
This approach extends to a selection of monochromatic suits to wear in professional environments, and white coats worn with dark-coloured dresses to greet members of other European royal households.
Sustainability
One area where Mary is a fashion leader, along with Britain’s Princess Anne, is in keeping favourite outfits on rotation.
At New Year celebrations earlier this week, Mary wore a burgundy velvet gown by Birgit Hallstein that has been seen at major events in 2007, 2014 and 2020, and in her official portrait in 2015.
Copenhagen Fashion Week is a leader in promoting a sustainable approach to design, and Mary pays attention, having launched the city’s Global Fashion Summit in July.
“Mary is a champion for sustainability in the fashion industry on a global stage and is definitely not afraid to re-wear treasured pieces,” Cronan says.
The Carla Zampatti gown commissioned by Cronan for Mary’s Australian Women’s Weekly cover was also worn at two official events in 2014.
“There is nothing better than seeing her in Australian designs from her archive,” Cronan says. “I don’t think her style will change once she starts her reign as Queen. ”
“It doesn’t need to,” adds Brunsdon.
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