Maternity clothing company’s profits rise thanks to Kate Middleton

High-end maternity clothing company Seraphine has seen profits quadruple and turnover increased by 60 percent after Kate Middleton chose to wear one of the company’s dresses in the first official photograph of Prince George, and throughout her pregnancy.

Seraphine, which has three stores in London, has projected a £1.1 million profit before tax, up from £0.25 million for the previous year. Turnover has increased from £5.2 million to £8.3 million.

The purple dress which was worn in the official family portrait cost just £46 and sold out within two hours of the photograph being published on 20 August 2013. There was a four week waiting list after the dress sold out.

Chelsey Oliver, creative director of Seraphine explained that the company’s success was due to the fact that they were one of the only retailers dressing the duchess during her pregnancy. Oliver also added that she was a great role model: “She was wearing a maternity brand post pregnancy and she was saying to the world, ‘I’m a real woman, I’m not jumping back into tiny fitted clothes’. On top of her looking great, her message was such a good one”

On the back of the publicity the company is hoping to open more stores across the UK and in the US, in New York. Seraphine predicts that it will grow by a further 60 percent in the next year, with revenue expected to reach £13 million by March 2015.

This isn’t the first time Kate Middleton has helped boost a fashion company’s sales. Reiss, Whistles, and LK Bennett have all seen profit boosts and expansions internationally.