Deborah Chan
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy and became an iconic piece in bridal fashion history. The gown was noted for its minimalist design, featuring a boat neckline and three-quarter-length sleeves. Markle personally paid for the dress, which is estimated to have cost between £100,000 and £387,000. The dress took 3,900 hours to make and included a 16-foot veil embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the California poppy, honouring Meghan's home state. Markle also wore a second wedding dress, designed by Stella McCartney, for the evening reception.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding dress designer | Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy |
| Wedding dress style | Simple, timeless, elegant, modern, minimal, classic |
| Wedding dress fabric | Double-bonded silk cady, triple silk organza |
| Veil fabric | Silk tulle |
| Veil embroidery | Flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, California poppy, wintersweet |
| Veil length | 16.5 feet, 25 feet, 5 metres |
| Wedding dress cost | Between £100,000 and £387,000, $265,000 |
| Who paid for the wedding dress | Meghan Markle |
| Reception dress designer | Stella McCartney |
| Reception dress style | Halter-neck, sleeveless, sheath |
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What You'll Learn
Meghan Markle's wedding dress designer
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the first female artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. Markle chose Waight Keller because she wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent and because of the designer's elegant aesthetic and relaxed demeanour. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady with a bateau neckline, structured three-quarter sleeves, and a sculpted waistline that fell into a train made of triple silk organza. The dress was designed in Paris by a small team of ateliers and was kept a closely guarded secret until the wedding day.
The dress was inspired by Markle's affinity for Audrey Hepburn, and the iconic off-the-shoulder neckline of the dress worn by Hepburn in the 1957 film Funny Face. Markle and Waight Keller also cited Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's wedding gown as an inspiration, with its surprising simplicity. The dress was designed to convey a sense of modernity and progressive elegance while paying homage to the history of the Givenchy house.
The veil, also designed by Waight Keller, was made of five-metre-long silk tulle and featured a trim of hand-embroidered flowers representing the distinctive flora of the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as wintersweet and the California poppy, reflecting Markle's home state of California.
Markle's choice of designer was indicative of her commitment to empowering women and British talent. The dress received mixed reviews, with some praising its timeless elegance and others criticising its fit and finish. However, it remains one of the most celebrated royal fashion moments in history.
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The dress's cost
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers and required 3,900 hours of design for the veil, eight fittings, and five months of collaboration between Markle and the design team. The dress was estimated to cost $265,000, which Markle paid for herself.
The dress was made of silk with three-quarter-length sleeves, an open boat neckline, and a train with a built-in triple silk organza underskirt. The veil, which was 16.5 feet long, was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the California poppy and wintersweet, which grows at Kensington Palace.
Markle chose Waight Keller because she wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent who had served as the creative head of three globally influential fashion houses: Pringle of Scotland, Chloé, and Givenchy. Waight Keller described the dress as seeking to "convey modernity through sleek lines and sharp cuts" while paying homage to the history of the Givenchy house.
Markle's wedding dress received mixed reviews from the public, with some describing it as "beautiful" and "stunning," while others called it "boring" and "ill-fitting." However, it is clear that the dress made a fashion statement and became one of the most celebrated royal fashion moments in history.
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The dress's design and style
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers. It was pure white with a bateau neckline and three-quarter-length sleeves. The gown had a contoured silhouette, with six meticulously placed seams, culminating in a 16-foot-long train. The fabric was double-bonded silk cady, creating a soft matte but luminous effect. The dress was designed to reflect Markle's personal style, described as "effortless American style" and "not overly feminine, but not really minimal either". Markle wanted to bring simplicity and timeless elegance to her wedding dress.
The dress was estimated to cost $265,000 and was paid for by Markle herself. It took 3,900 hours to design the veil, with eight fittings and five months of clandestine communication between Markle and the design team.
The veil was 16.5 feet long and made of silk tulle. It featured embroidered flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the California poppy, in honour of Markle's home state, and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. A piece of the blue dress Markle wore on her first date with Prince Harry was also stitched into the veil.
Markle's second wedding dress, worn to the evening reception, was designed by Stella McCartney. It was a high-neck, halter-neck dress with a modern silhouette.
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The veil
> I knew that it would be a fun surprise as well for my now-husband, who didn’t know, and he was really over the moon to find out that I would make this choice for our day together.
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The dress's reception
The dress(es) reception
Meghan Markle's wedding dress and reception gown are two of the most talked-about looks in royal fashion history. The dress she wore to her wedding ceremony was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. The gown was pure white with a bateau neckline, structured three-quarter sleeves, and a sculpted waistline that fell into a 16-foot-long train made of triple silk organza. The dress was estimated to cost about $265,000, which the bride paid for herself.
Markle's reception gown was a stunning Stella McCartney halter-neck sheath gown with a high halter neckline and a sleeveless silhouette. The designer of the gorgeous gown, Stella McCartney, was also perfectly aligned with the bride's aesthetic. Not only is Stella McCartney a quintessential British designer, but her design house also promotes eco-friendly fashion, vegan leathers, and sustainability, three things that are on-brand for the philanthropic Duchess of Sussex. The reception gown toted a Slinky silhouette and a refined glamour, with a sexier silhouette and a high halter neckline that she paired with one of her signature piece-y updos.
Markle's wedding dress received mixed reviews from the public, with some saying it was "beautiful" and "stunning" while others described it as "boring", "baggy", and "ill-fitting." Celebrity commentators, fashion editors, internet influencers, and Twitter commenters criticized the dress, calling it "boring", "ill-fitting", and "too big", and mocking the veil style and length. However, fashion experts noted that the silk cady fabric would have been difficult to move in if the dress had been more form-fitting.
Markle's reception gown, on the other hand, was widely praised for its modern and glamorous aesthetic, with many fans commenting on the sexier silhouette and high halter neckline. The gown generated so much attention that McCartney produced a limited-edition piece that resembled Markle's reception dress as part of an evening gown collection called "Made With Love."
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Meghan Markle bought her own wedding dress, which is in line with royal tradition.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy.
The exact cost of Meghan Markle's wedding dress is not known, but it is estimated to be between £100,000 and £387,000.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was a simple, pure white silk gown with a bateau neckline and three-quarter-length sleeves. The dress was designed to be timeless and elegant, with a modern twist.
