It cost a mere £30 to cobble together. But the see-through black slip credited with helping Kate Middleton catch the eye of a prince could one day be worth £100,000.
William was mesmerised by his fellow student as she sashayed down the catwalk in the outfit at a university fashion show eight years ago.
Designer Charlotte Todd, who admitted the dress has been languishing at the back of her wardrobe ever since, has been told its value has rocketed to £10,000 since the couple announced their engagement.
And according to one auction house, that could increase ten-fold when Kate becomes Queen.
Yesterday Miss Todd, 31, said there was little chance of her parting with it. 'The dress is a part of fashion history - the moment William could first have fallen in love with Kate - and that makes me really proud,' she said.
'If it hadn't been see-through, William might not have noticed her. I definitely think it has a played a part in the royal love story.
'She looked fabulous and I think she could become a style icon like Princess Diana.
The only person I'd probably give it to is her - maybe in exchange for a weddinginvitation. Of course I would love to design her wedding dress too.'
Miss Todd made the black and gold dress while studying fashion and textiles at the University of the West of England in 2000.
It took a week to knit together the silk fabrics and add a blue ribbon trim for a project appropriately called 'the art of seduction'.
Two years later St Andrew's University, where William and Kate were both studying, asked to borrow it for a fundraising fashion show.
Kate was friends with William, then 19, but is thought to have been dating her first university boyfriend Rupert Finch at the time.
But that didn't stop William admiring her. The second in line to the throne was pictured craning his neck to see the stunning brunette. After the show the dress was returned to Miss Todd, who packed it away in her mother's wardrobe where it has remained ever since.
Miss Todd, from Bedminster, Bristol, said: 'Kate was a great clothes horse to show off my design. Her body was the exact right shape to pull it off.'
Christine Satchett, from South London auctioneer Greasbys, said: 'In years to come if Kate was on the throne it could reach up to £100,000. It was the same with Princess Diana's clothes.'
(Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)
(Agencies)
英国准王妃凯特•米德尔顿被认为凭借一身透视装俘获了威廉王子，而这件原价仅30英镑的透视装今后有望升值至10万英镑。 八年前，当凯特身着透视装在大学时装展的T台上走秀时，威廉就被这位美女同学迷住了。 两人宣布婚讯后，这身透视装的设计者夏洛特•托德被告知它已升值至1万英镑。托德坦承在那场时装展后，这件透视装就没再拿出来过。 据一家拍卖行称，在凯特成为王后之时，这件透视装将升值至目前的10倍。 31岁的托德昨日称，自己不打算卖掉这件透视装。她说："这条裙子已经载入时装史册，见证了威廉王子最初爱上凯特的时刻，这使我非常自豪。" "如果不是透视装，威廉可能不会注意到她。我确信它促成了这段王室罗曼史。" "凯特穿着这件透视装的样子美极了，我觉得她会成为像戴安娜王妃一样的时尚偶像。" "我只可能把它送给凯特，或许用它来换张婚礼请柬，当然我非常乐意为她设计婚纱。" 托德小姐2000年在西英格兰大学就读时装和纺织品专业时制作了这件黑金色透视装。 她用一周的时间缝制起丝绸面料，还加了一条蓝丝带。这件透视装原本是为一个名为"诱惑的艺术"的项目制作的。 两年后，威廉和凯特就读的圣安德鲁斯大学为一场慈善时装展向她借走了这件服装。 当年19岁的威廉和凯特已经相识，但据称凯特当时正与大学时代的第一任男友鲁伯特•芬奇交往。 但这并未阻止威廉对她的爱慕。媒体拍摄到了这位英国王位第二继承人探身欣赏皮肤略黑的美女凯特的场景。时装展后，这件透视装被还给了托德小姐，此后她一直把它放在母亲的衣橱里。 来自布里斯托尔贝德明斯特的托德小姐说："对于展示我的时装设计作品来说，凯特是个完美的'衣架'。她的身材恰好适合穿着我设计的服装。" 伦敦南部格里斯比拍卖行的克里斯廷•萨切特说："如果将来凯特登上王后宝座，这件衣服会涨到10万英镑，就像戴安娜王妃的衣服一样。"
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