On January 14, 2024, Crown Princess Mary left Frederik VIII Palace in a motorcade and headed to Christiansborg Palace. She greeted the crowd with a smile in a snow-white gown, the impeccable tailoring of which was visible through the car window. After 2 pm local time, she was named Queen Consort together with the new Danish King Frederik. This was a historic moment, and the dress she wore was also designed by Danish designer Soeren Le Schmidt. “I can’t thank you enough for choosing me,” he wrote on Instagram.
The new Queen has long been a fan of the Danish designer: she wore a Le Schmidt design to Charles III’s coronation last May. Known for his classic tailoring and use of dyed satin silk, he attracted a legion of stylish and elegant women. (For his spring 2024 show, former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt even appeared on the catwalk.
Soeren Le Schmidt’s costumes for Queen Mary are both elegant and modern. Featuring long sleeves and a hooded collar, it feels demure enough for a traditional occasion, yet has enough flair thanks to the silver buckle embellishment at the waist. Even more eye-catching was the white ribbon draped over her shoulders – seemingly a high-fashion take on the royal accessory seen in many formal outfits.
And the choice of white is also important: not only is it part of the Danish flag, it also symbolizes integrity and morality.
The new queen looked very much at home in Le Schmidt’s creation as she smiled and waved to the crowd from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace, greeting a crowd of some 100,000 people who had gathered on the streets of Copenhagen – many of them carrying Danish flags. This is an exemplary moment to express confidence through clothing.
