The Princess of Wales is famous for being a royal recycler, rewearing certain outfits with refreshing frequency considering that she's one of the most photographed women in the world, but she hasn't, until this year, been known as a lover of vintage. That all changed in March. On the couple's tour of the Caribbean, Catherine packed not one but two vintage items - a coral, turquoise and yellow striped sundress from the '50s and a beaded bag from the '60s - both of which came from Willow Hilson Vintage.
'It was such a wonderful thing for the sustainable fashion industry. I think everyone in my trade was really excited about it,' says Willow Hilson. 'If public figures are wearing vintage, I think we really stand a chance of trying to help the planet.'
Hilson's Cheltenham shop mainly stocks pieces from the 1920s-1960s - a period of time before the dawn of mass-production - and she prides herself on offering her customers a personalised experience. 'We want to get to know people,' she says. 'You're almost trading history and trading people's stories. It becomes quite an intimate experience. They get our undivided attention and they can try everything on.' Hilson's customer base is understandably loyal, probably because she's been known to message when she finds things she thinks people will like - 'When I'm out buying, I can instantly message and be like, 'You remember you were looking for a bag? I just found it for you,' - and because private sellers know her reputation. 'If somebody's got something, they tend to seek me out to sell it. That's really special.'
Even though she deals in historic pieces with a story to tell, she still looks for wearability. 'I try and buy things that feel quite modern, even though they're old, so that they become a part of your everyday wardrobe,' she adds. 'It doesn't look dated. It looks individual.'
Individuality was something she inherited from her mother, who worked in the textiles industry. Hilson grew up in South East Asia - a part of the world with an ancient reverence for textiles and historic techniques - and spent her weekends hunting down precious silk at markets with her mum instead of at the park. Her grandmother, meanwhile, taught her how to sew - 'I learned how to work on waistbands and put pockets in skirts from quite young,' - and had high standards when it came to how to dress. 'My grandmother had this rule that you had to come for breakfast in your best outfit, no matter what day of the week it was.'
Aside from the obvious sustainable angle, wearing vintage is a way to look a little bit different, to stand out for the right reasons. 'I think it’s great for individuality. The youth of today is doing such a good job of being so individual. Sustainable fashion really helps with that.'