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Kate Middleton’s Sheer Fashion Show Dress Made Headlines But What Became of the Designer?

Life after the tube dress

Charlotte Todd.
Ferdaus Shamim/Getty Images

On the final season of The Crown, we're witnessing some of the most memorable moments in recent royal family history, including Kate Middleton's unforgettable appearance at a student fashion show in 2002, where she sported a sheer tube dress and reportedly caught the attention of a young Prince William.

Of course, while we love seeing this pivotal moment play out on screen, it has us wondering—what ever happened to Charlotte Todd, AKA the designer of Princess Catherine's dress?

Still from 'The Crown.'
Justin Downing/Netflix

Well, after Todd's design (which was actually originally intended to be a skirt) was chosen by Middleton and worn as a tube dress with a black bandeau top and matching bikini bottom underneath, the young creative finished up her textiles degree at the University of the West of England.

Nearly ten years after the charity show took place, Todd's dress was put up for auction at the Passion For Fashion Auction at La Galleria in 2011. At the event, the design was a smash, selling for £78,000 (or $125,000) to a private collector in Jersey, who paid over the phone (and auctioneers thought at first that the buyer might've been Prince William).

middleton hero2 2
Ferdaus Shamim/Getty Images

When the dress sold at auction, Todd told the press, “I am totally speechless, and feel very emotional. I really didn’t think it would make that amount. I am planning to put some of the money towards a deposit for a house, but perhaps I may use some to change my career.”

Then that April, Todd announced her first collection, called Fashion Babylon, which featured 12 updates of the iconic tube dress, as noted by The Telegraph.

todd hero
Ferdaus Shamim/Getty Images

Since that first collection though, it seems as if Todd has shied away from the fashion world (and if she has a LinkedIn profile, then it doesn't appear to be public).

However, you *can* find her on social media, either on X (formerly known as Twitter), where she hasn't posted since 2018, or on Instagram, though sadly her account is private.

Even if she never returns to the world of fashion, Todd can still claim one totally unforgettable dress—er, skirt to her name.

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calfee

Associate Editor, News and Entertainment

Joel is the former Associate Editor for News & Entertainment and has been reporting on all things pop culture for over 5 years. Before working at PureWow, he served as a Features Editor at ROCKET Magazine. When he's not dissecting the latest trends in entertainment (or guiding you on what to watch), he covers all the hottest red carpet looks and fashion movements. When he steps away from the keyboard, you can likely find him at an NYC concert, thrift store or LGBTQ+ bookstore happily perusing the shelves.