By Rebecca Drew
THIS ROYAL family super fan spends her time finding ‘repli-KATES’ of the Duchess of Cambridge’s outfits and says that mum-of-three Kate feels like a ‘big sister’ to her and has spent almost £4.5K on her hobby to date.
Student and self-confessed anglophile, Saskia Moldenhauer (24) from Bochum, Germany, has always been fascinated by the magic of English culture, traditions and the royal family.
After watching a documentary about Prince William and Catherine’s engagement in 2011, Saskia fell in love with Kate’s impeccable fashion sense and started to follow her outfit choices online where she soon discovered ‘repli-Kate-ing’ and people who were dedicated to finding copies of the Duchess of Cambridge’s outfits for themselves and decided to give it a go herself.
Saskia started watching Kate’s fashion choices each time she stepped out and if her budget allowed would buy the exact same or similar outfit to incorporate in her everyday look. Luckily for Saskia, many brands worn by Kate are both affordable and ship internationally, so she has been fortunate enough to get her hands on some of the Duchess’ more notable looks.
Since spring 2016, Saskia has replicated between 20 to 25 outfits, spending more than approximately £4,414 (€5,000).
Incredible pictures show Saskia in her take on Kate’s blue Issa engagement dress worn in November 2010, in the Seraphine fuchsia dress she wore in her first official family photograph following Prince George’s birth in 2013 and in the Duchess’ favourite Me + Em casual Breton striped top.
Saskia shares her royal looks and trips to iconic London landmarks on Instagram and wants to show that every woman can look and feel like a princess.
“I was fascinated by England when I was a child and wanted to travel to London. I find the culture and English traditions wonderful and that includes the royal family for me,” said Saskia.
“For me as a German, the English monarchy is something special and very traditional. It has something magical.
“As for Kate, I feel like she’s a big sister to me. She is very disciplined, but she is also a good mother and socially involved. And of course, she is a fashionable role model. I like her naturalness the most.
“My love for Kate Middleton started when I was 16. Shortly before the royal wedding on April 29, 2011, they ran many programs about Kate on TV. Immediately I was a fan of her and was looking forward to the wedding.
“Since then, I have also become enthusiastic about her sense of style. It started with my dress having the same colour at my graduation ball as Kate’s Issa engagement dress – a deep royal blue and I also bought a replica of the engagement ring that Diana wore.
“At some point I discovered Instagram for myself and realised that I am not alone with my enthusiasm for Kate and England. I like to interact with the community and I am pleased that my hobby finds appeal there.
“In Germany, the hobby is not very widespread so it’s great to be instantly up to date on the latest royal events on Instagram, and I love the puzzle when it comes to identifying the brands of Kate’s garments.
“I think it’s great that Catherine not only wears designer clothes, but also often clothes that are affordable. Catherine’s style is a good mix of modern and classic.
“Normally, finding a royal outfit does not take long. Through Instagram and Twitter, I’m always up to date. When a new photo of Catherine is released, the community immediately tries to find out which brands Catherine wears.
“Most of the time, this happens very quickly and you can then look for and order the garments in online shops but it is a pity when something is sold out. Nevertheless, I never lose the fun of it.
“I always have a special feeling when I buy the original clothes, so I try to get hold of them as much as possible. They can cost several hundred euros per outfit. Meanwhile, I have already spent over five thousand euros on royal clothing, jewellery and shoes.”
Saskia says that her wardrobe for university has been given the royal look and finds Kate’s causal wear perfect for a day in lectures.
The royal fan loved Kate’s recent offering at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show and shared her thoughts.
“The garden looks really beautiful. I really like the title, “Back to Nature” and it’s also really fitting, as Kate has built in elements like a small waterfall. She said that she hopes to inspire children and their parents with her garden, and she has certainly succeeded in doing so, as seen by George, Charlotte and Louis,” said Saskia.
“Most of all, I like casual looks because they can be easily integrated into my student life. Sneaker shoes such as the ones from the brand Superga, jeans trousers and a Breton top are very comfortable, perfect for university and they have a royal touch thanks to Kate.
“Every woman can look and feel like a princess.”
For more information see www.instagram.com/lady.susi.replikates