Prince William and Kate only arrived in Canada early Thursday afternoon, but the Duchess of Cambridge has already made a strong Canadian fashion statement.

While Kate is not expected to publicly address Canadians during the royal couple's nine-day tour of the country, her wardrobe, which is always closely watched, is sure to send a message about what she thinks of Canadian fashion.

When William and Kate boarded a Royal Canadian Air Force plane in London for the flight to Ottawa, the Duchess was wearing a navy blazer from Canadian label Smythe over a dress by French designer Roland Mouret.

The label, which is a favourite of celebrities such as Rachel McAdams, has been known for its sharply tailored jackets and coats since its founding in 2004.

After tweeting about the jacket moments after Kate appeared in it, Canadian retailer Holt Renfrew sent a second tweet wondering how quickly the jacket would fly off the shelves.

"Who thinks we'll sell out of the Smythe blazer Kate Middleton is wearing…today," the retailer asked its followers, including the hashtag "#Placeyourbets" at the end of the message.

Holt Renfrew is the jacket's exclusive retailer in Canada. It sells for about $550.

Smythe co-founder Andrea Lenczner told The Canadian Press the label sent some items to the U.K. ahead of the royal tour.

"I was really happy, so happy for the company and the brand and thrilled that she chose Smythe," Lenczner said. "Just a feeling of elation, I guess."

Hours later, when the couple touched down in Ottawa, Kate had changed into a navy and white lace dress by London-based, Canadian-born designer Erdem Moralioglu.

The Cecile dress is from the designer's 2012 resort collection, which will not hit stores until early next year.

Holt Renfrew's Christina McDowell called Kate's fashion choices "appropriate and fabulous."

"She's become this style icon that doesn't make a mistake," McDowell told CTV News Channel Thursday evening.

Britain's Daily Mail newspaper also raved about the Duchess's outfits, with a report on its website saying "she hasn't set a foot wrong so far."

"If we needed any reminder of the Duchess of Cambridge's flawless fashion instincts, her arrival in Canada this afternoon was surely it," the paper went on.

Later Thursday, the Duke and Duchess attended a barbecue at Gov.-Gen. David Johnston's residence. For that event, Kate wore a black and white bird dress by British label Issa, the brand also responsible for her blue engagement dress.

Fashion experts have speculated that Kate could make as many as 40 wardrobe changes over the nine days, which averages out to about three per day.

"There's enormous pressure on the Duchess to live up to her new status as a fashion icon," Alison McGill, editor-in-chief of Weddingbells Magazine, told CTV.ca earlier this month. "But she's taken to her new job with surprising authority."

While Kate is travelling with a hair stylist, she has apparently opted to go without a dresser for the trip to Canada.