![The Duchess of Cambridge wearing ARossGirl](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/fashion/2019/10/02/TELEMMGLPICT000211725328_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqWhCNGYD8yD8Muso1i7FGUtKS_R4tYza0BPh5jy2Pvw0.jpeg?imwidth=680)
How the Duchess of Cambridge is updating her wardrobe strategy ahead of her Pakistan tour
![The Duchess of Cambridge wearing ARossGirl](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/fashion/2019/10/02/TELEMMGLPICT000211725328_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqWhCNGYD8yD8Muso1i7FGUtKS_R4tYza0BPh5jy2Pvw0.jpeg?imwidth=680)
There are just over ten days to go until the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's week-long tour of Pakistan begins. It's a while since we've seen the couple abroad together - their last major foreign visit was to Sweden and Norway in January 2018. Since the birth of Prince Louis, their longest trip has been a two-day tour to Northern Ireland in February.
On Wednesday, Kate and William visited the Aga Khan in London as a precursor to the trip. The Duchess took the opportunity to make what seemed to be a bold statement of intent about a new tourdrobe strategy to reflect the evolution of her wardrobe in the past year. She's become more experimental and fashion-cognisant, and consequently needs a refreshed style approach for an intense bout of activity when the eyes of the world will be on her across five days of engagements.
![The Duchess's Zeen earrings](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/fashion/2019/10/02/TELEMMGLPICT000211725380_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqVcOxzYPLO2Y8lSzkWYz3hTe5jHlybLPgWMrZE53CdI0.jpeg?imwidth=350)
For this setting-the-scene outing, the Duchess had ticked every tourdrobe box. The colour of the dress was unmistakably the same deep green hue as the Pakistan flag. She'd taken her usual midi/knee length down a few inches so that the dress hit at the ankle bone while the sleeves reached to just above her wrist, achieving modesty befitting of a visit to a religious leader. She also debuted a new pair of earrings by Pakistan-based label Zeen, costing just $8.
The fashion twist came from the dress, which is by ARoss Girl, an under-the-radar label founded by former Harper's Bazaar fashion editor and red carpet stylist, Amanda Ross. In the past, Kate rarely veered from a preferred stable of brands including Jenny Packham, Erdem and LK Bennett but lately she's enjoyed adding new names to her wardrobe - Equipment, Sandro and & Other Stories are just a few. There will no doubt be more to come during the tour, perhaps with some local additions - in India in 2016, she wore local labels Saloni and Anita Dongre.
It's likely that the £825 design was picked first and foremost because its colour and style was so perfect as a Pakistan tribute - Ross was even inspired by neighbouring India in the early days of her label, travelling to Jaipur to work with the famous Gem Palace jewellery store. But I think it's also a symbol of her willingness to show that she has her finger on the fashion pulse - this is a label worn by discerning women, many of whom may have social connections with Ross.
Kate also exhibited excellent styling with Wednesday's look, choosing to team the dress with dark green pumps and matching clutch bag by Emmy London. Sleek, chic and diplomatic... this makes me excited for the tourdrobe to come.
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