It took only three days and one rather spectacular pair of boots to elicit what is perhaps the ultimate fashion comparison. Top British designer Julien Macdonald praised the style of Shaikha Mouza Bint Nasser Al Misnad, wife of the Emir of Qatar Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, saying that "not since Jackie O has any first lady had such global resonance in terms of fashion".
The designer summed up Shaikha Mouza's official wardrobe during her state visit to the UK last week as "glamorous and sophisticated, the very epitome of a royal".
Shaikha Mouza registered on the fashion radar the moment the Qatar royal couple were welcomed by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in Windsor. Wearing an ankle length Dior couture gown and jacket under a fur stole, the look recalled the wardrobe of Carla Bruni Sarkozy, who also favoured grey Dior during her visit in 2008. Modesty dictated that the Qatar royal accessorised with matching gloves and headscarf, although she did reveal a small amount of hair.
During the visit, Shaikha Mouza wore a midnight green Dior skirt suit to Parliament, a red Valentino gown to a Palace banquet, and a black and gold Armani Privé trouser-suit to a meeting with British leaders in business and industry. On her final day she showcased a burgundy double-breasted jacket handmade by Jean Paul Gaultier's atelier. Chaumet and Cartier jewels added million-dollar sparkle to several of her looks. It was what Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld has dubbed his "fantasy fur" boots that sparked the most interest. Detractors said the boots, with a heel styled to look like an icicle, resembled baby seals, but the on-trend footwear gained approval from fashion insiders.
Qatar government officials have confirmed that Shaikha Mouza does not even employ a stylist — quite something for the wardrobe of one of the world's richest women.
Designers, meanwhile, are keen to get her custom. Macdonald admitted: "I would love to dress her. Her personal style is rich with power and confidence, yet retains a real femininity that many women aspire to."
