The Kate Middleton Effect: No Surprise, It’s Still Happening

A RAOUL skirt worn by the Duchess sells out 24 hours after her appearance in it in Singapore

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This January, nearly one year after Prince William and Kate Middleton released their official engagement photos, for which the latter wore a cream Reiss dress, the U.K. fashion label reported doubled profits for 2011. The company’s announcement offered proof in numbers of what many already knew: Middleton’s outfits were in high demand, and an appearance by the Duchess in a brand’s clothing—from a Burberry trench coat to a mass retailer’s dress—could potentially result in a big financial boost.

Middleton-mania has somewhat calmed down since her April 2011 Royal Wedding, but that doesn’t mean the Duchess has lost her Midas touch. The latest company to benefit from the Middleton Effect is RAOUL, which sold out of a patterned skirt a day after the Duchess wore it last week in Singapore (where the company is based) on her tour through Southeast Asia. Duchess of Style reports that one skirt sold for $1,000 on eBay the day after Middleton wore it, while the matching blouse also sold out online at the company’s website. RAOUL’s traffic reportedly increased from 355 to 2,596 page views within a 24-hour period as well.

MORE: See all of Middleton’s looks from her Southeast Asia tour