Diplomatic glamour:The Duchess of Cambridge debuts Indian and British designers

If the Duchess of Cambridge???s wardrobe choices for the first day of her India and Bhutan tour are anything to go by, then royal style enthusiasts are in for a week of her now signature deft balance of diplomacy, ease and classic glamour.Following in the footsteps of the Queen and Princess Diana, the Duchess???s three outfits each showed a respectful consideration for her host country, resulting in some beautifully bold colour choices, but also represented some of the best of British fashion.

For a wreath laying ceremony at The Taj Hotel, Kate opted for a vibrant red shift dress with peplum detail by Alexander McQueen, the British fashion house which is perhaps most closely associated with the Duchess.Creative director Sarah Burton designed the Duchess???s wedding dress and has been called upon on numerous occasions since then.

The dress chosen yesterday is adapted from Burton???s Pre-Fall collection.Its decorative paisley print proved to be a masterful detail, subtly nodding to both Asian and British textile tradition.The teardrop pattern was originally woven in the Kashmir region in the 11thcentury, eventually arriving in the United Kingdom via the East India Company in the 1700s.It became known as Paisley after the Scottish town which later began to produce sought-after scarves and fabrics in the swirling prints.The duchess accessorised the look with L.K Bennett???s ??175 Floret court shoes in her favourite nude shade, and a high-street pair of earrings from Accessorize.

For a cricket match and tour of Mumbai???s most-deprived areas, Kate changed into a breezy, delicately printed dress by Mumbai-born designer, Anita Dongre.This first outfit by an Indian label proved cool enough for being caught at mid-on by Sachin Tendulkar and a game of football.Dongre- who works with specialist artisans to preserve traditional skills- is advertising the ???Gulrukh??? dress for $236 (around ??167) on her website.

It did, however, seem slightly absurd to be running around in front of the cameras in a pair of ??99 cream wedges by high-street brand Mint Velvet, but it???s not the first time Kate has teetered on heels when flats would have been perfectly acceptable.

Kate enlisted another trusted British designer, Jenny Packham, to create a bespoke cobalt sari-like dress and shawl for the evening gala but care was taken to incorporate Indian elements; the intricate beading on the bodice and shawl was done in India while opulent blue earrings by Jaipur-based jewellers Amrapali finished the ensemble.

Finally, special mention to the Duchess"s personal hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker who kept Kate"s hair in sleek but bouncy form despite the 35 degree heat and 66% humidity.