ROYAL COUTURE.....King Albert of Belgium Abdicates, Meet The New Queen of Belgium, Mathilde--Lots of Pics of her Natan creme dress

Meet The New King and Queen: (left to right) Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium

In OTHER Royal News (besides William and Kate Baby News!)...After a 20-year reign, 79-year-old
King Albert of Belgium voluntarily abdicated the throne this past Sunday, July 21, passing
down the crown to his son Philippe and Philippe’s wife, Crown Princess Mathilde. The
first Belgian-born queen of the country, Mathilde hails from Bastogne,
from a family of nobility: her father was the late Count Patrick
d'Udekem d'Acoz, and her mother, Countess Anna Maria Komorowska. As the
oldest of five children, Mathilde worked to establish herself early on.
She studied speech therapy at Institut Libre Marie Haps and then held
her own practice from 1995 until her marriage in 1999. Mathilde is also quite a Fashion Diva (this is why I am really interested!). She loves wearing Armani Prive--the Haute Couture arm of Giorgio Armani with suits beginning at around $40,000 if one were to order them!--as well as Natan, the Belgian fashion brand beloved by many Euro Royals.

Royal Couple: Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium 

King Albert II and Queen Paola attending their last engagement as King and Queen of Belgium--Cathedral of St Michael and Saint Gudula

 Crying Queen: Queen Paola of Belgium--Cathedral of St Michael and Saint Gudula prior to the Abdication of her husband King
Albert II Of Belgium

Fan Queen: Queen Fabiola of Belgium (center) with Crown Princess (soon-to-be-Queen of Belgium, Mathilde--right)--Cathedral of St Michael and Saint Gudula prior to the Abdication Of King
Albert II Of Belgium and Inauguration Of King Philippe

For the Abdication Day Ceremonies on Sunday, Mathilde, sported a cream jacquard sheath dress with bias-cut collar, created by Natan and...

 Designer Edouard Vermeulen (right)

To finish the ensemble, the new Queen of Belgium finished the ensemble with:

An elegant Fabienne Delvigne hat

Balcony Siblings: (Left to right) Princess Claire of Belgium, Prince Laurent of Belgium, Princess Astrid
of Belgium and Prince Lorenz of Belgium stand before crowds on the
palace balcony

The Royal Family: The new King and Queen of Belgium stepped out in front of their subjects for the first time as
Belgium's monarchs. Waving to the crowds of well-wishers, Philippe and
Mathilde were joined by their four children, Elisabeth, Gabriel,
Emmanuel and Eléonore, to mark the historic occasion--The children were
dressed in matching outfits: Elisabeth, who is now first in line to the
Belgian throne, and Eléonore wore similar cute red dresses and scarlet
hair accessories while their brothers, Gabriel and Emmanuel, looked equally as smart in navy blue suits

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium

ROYAL COUTURE.....Princess Mathilde of Belgium Duchess of Brabant, future Queen Consort of Belgium, a Fashion Gallery!

Future Queen: Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant, Mathilde of Belgium

On July 21st, Belgium's King Albert II will abdicate. That means that his eldest son, Crown Prince and Heir Apparent Philippe Duke of Brabant, will become the new King of Belgium. His wife, Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant will officially be Queen Consort--in other words, wife of the King, thank you very much. Mathilde will, on July 21st, become the first ever Belgian born Queen consort of Belgium (what a new idea--a Belgium born person actually "ruling" over Belgium!). Her father-in-law--the King has been embroiled in a mess of a mistress and secret offspring and well...he may have seen the writings on the wall, as it were. It was time to big Adiue and Tot Ziens ("Good Bye" in French and Flemish) to the crown.

 Belgian Royal: (Left to right) Prince Emmanuel, Prince Philippe, Princess Elisabeth, Princess Mathilde
and Prince Gabriel of Belgium attend the Belgian Royal Family official
photocall at Laeken Castle on September  2012

The Princess--who is of Belgian and noble Polish descent--is a big fashionista. This, naturally is what I am interested in here on my NICKVERREOS.COM blog. She loves to give fashion at important events, royal weddings, etc.

Most recently, she wore this peplum belted and printed dress at a July 8th visit to Laeken Castle--(left to right) Queen Paola, King Albert, Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of
Belgium receive members of COMORI at Laeken Castle on July 8, 2013 in
Brussels, Belgium

The future Queen consort LOVES a neckline "knot":

Red Knot Princess: Princess Mathilde and Prince Philippe at the  King Baudouin African Development Price at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Belgium in May 2013

Knot Diva: Princess Mathilde and Prince Philippe of Belgium--Educational Center Paddenbroek Royal Visit March 2013, Gooik, Belgium

Her favorite designers of choice include Belgian fashion brand Natan and Armani Prive. Not "Giorgio Armani" darlings but it's Haute Couture branch! Giorgio Armani is too "for the regular people" of course. Yes kids, she loves--and can afford $100,000+ costing Haute Couture--she's a Euro Royal! So let's discuss Mathilde, the next Belgian Queen consort and her FASHION sense:

The Wedding: When Mathilde married Prince Philippe II of Belgium and became the Crown Princess of Belgium, she wore a white custom wedding gown with stand-up collar coat from Belgian Fashion House Natan and its designer Edouard Vermeulen...

Peplum and Twisted Natan--Princess Mathilde of Belgium (in Natan) and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands (top photo); Queen Maxima of The Netherlands in Natan design (similar to P rincess Mathilde's) at the Dutch Royal Abdication Signing-Over Ceremony

Mathilde of Belgium is a big fan of Natan and its designer Edouard Vermeulen and has worn many of his designs, besides her wedding. It is a sure thing that she will be wearing Natan for the July 21st abdication/coronation festivities. Here are some other times Mathilde has worn Natan:

Princess Mathilde in Natan black and white flower printed sheath dress: "Festival van Vlaanderen" Concert at Palais de Bruxelles, October 2012 in Brussels, Belgium

 Princess Mathilde in Natan white and navy printed dress--"Liege a Paris" Concert at the
Theatre des Champs-Elysees on October 2012, Paris, France

The future Queen Consort of Belgium also loves Armani Prive:

Armani Blue: Princess Mathilde and Prince Philippe II of Belgium attend the Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, 2011

Armani Violet: Princess Mathilde and Prince Philippe II attend the royal wedding of Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock at the Prince's Palace of Monaco, 2011

 Armani Fuschia: Princess Mathilde at the dinner reception following the wedding of Prince Albert of Monaco to Charlene Wittstock 2011

Here are some other looks from Princess Mathilde of Belgium:

 Princess Mathilde and Prince Philippe II of Belgium arriving at Stockholm Cathedral for the nuptials of Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling, 2010

Princess Mathilde and Prince Philippe II attend the pre-Royal Wedding dinner of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011 at the Mandarin Hotel in Knightsbridge, London

Princess Mathilde of Belgium and Prince Philippe II of Belgium attend the
wedding ceremony of Prince Guillaume Of Luxembourg and Princess
Stephanie of Luxembourg at the Cathedral of our Lady of Luxembourg on
October 2012 in Luxembourg

Princess Mathilde and Prince Philippe II of Belgium attend the Gala dinner for the wedding of
Prince Guillaume Of Luxembourg and Stephanie de Lannoy at the
Grand-ducal Palace on October 2012

 Prince Philippe II and Princess Mathilde of Belgium arrive at the Rijksmuseum to attend the Pre-Coronation Gala Dinner for Willem-Alexander and Maxima of The Netherlands, May 2013

Prince Philippe II and Princess Mathilde of Belgium at the Coronation of Willem-Alexander and Maxima of The Netherlands, May 2013

Can't wait to see what the future Queen consort wears on July 21st!

RUNWAY REPORT.....Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Fall 2013: Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014, Photos + Runway Video

Nude Suits: Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014

The Look: Giorgio Armani showed his Couture collection for Armani Prive in Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week two days ago. He called it "Nude". After seeing the collection  you get the Nude references; nothing to hide, transparency, nude colors, lace, sheerness. He also said that it was about "Pure elegance, what's on the inside". Colors did range from pale neutrals, nude, cremes to black. The shapes were softer, more fluid, not so architectural and structured as some of his latest outings for Armani Prive and little use of his signature "satinized"/techno silk organza, if any.

 Belgium Client: Princess Mathilde of Belgium in Armani Prive--Monaco Royal Wedding in 2011

It was elegant, with a 1940's vibe and will probably make his clients very happy, especially Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant. She'll be Queen consort real soon when her husband's father abdicates. And might need to order one or two $100,000+ Armani Prive ensembles for the crowning festivities.



Here are some of the Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014 Highlights:

Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014

Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014

Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014

Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014

 Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014

Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014

Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014

Click Below to Watch Armani Prive Fall/Winter 2013/2014 Runway Show (Edited):