Lyla Dejesus
Meghan Markle's wedding dress for her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018 was the subject of much speculation. The Duchess of Sussex wore a simple, elegant, white silk gown with an open bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a train with a built-in triple silk organza underskirt. The dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, and Markle also wore a 16-foot veil embroidered with flowers representing the countries of the Commonwealth, as well as her home state of California. The dress was estimated to cost about $265,000, and the designer revealed that it was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's iconic Givenchy dress from the 1957 film Funny Face. For her reception, Markle changed into a Stella McCartney halter-neck dress, bringing a modern touch to traditional royal aesthetics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding date | 19 May 2018 |
| Wedding dress designer | Clare Waight Keller |
| Dress label | Givenchy |
| Dress style | Minimalist, simple, sleek lines, sharp cuts, modern, contemporary, progressive |
| Fabric | Double-bonded silk cady, silk crepe, silk tulle |
| Neckline | Bateau, off-the-shoulder |
| Sleeves | Three-quarter length |
| Veil | 5-metre long, hand-embroidered flowers, lace trim |
| Reception dress designer | Stella McCartney |
| Reception dress style | Halter-neck, high-neck, sleeveless, 1990s-style |
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What You'll Learn
Meghan Markle's wedding dress designer, Clare Waight Keller
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy and a close friend of the Duchess of Sussex. Markle chose Waight Keller due to her "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour". The designer described the process of creating the dress as "very collaborative", with the pair working closely together over several months to craft the boat neck, long-sleeved dress with a 16-foot-long veil. The final design was a white silk gown with an open bateau neckline, a sculpted waist, and three-quarter sleeves. Waight Keller described the dress as a testament to Markle's status as a royal and said that "purity and simplicity" were the guiding principles of the design.
Waight Keller's relationship with Markle extended beyond the wedding day, as she dressed the Duchess for several other occasions, including Ascot, the trooping of the colour ceremony, and Remembrance Sunday. In 2018, Markle made a surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards to present Waight Keller with the British Designer of the Year Womenswear Award while wearing a black, off-the-shoulder Givenchy dress.
Waight Keller has expressed that designing Markle's wedding dress was a significant moment in her career, stating that being a part of the royal wedding "will truly be the most memorable moment" in her career. She also emphasised the intimacy and personal nature of their collaboration, which evolved quickly into a close friendship.
Markle's choice of Waight Keller as her wedding dress designer was also seen as a way to highlight the success of a leading British talent who has served as the creative head of globally influential fashion houses, including Pringle of Scotland, Chloé, and Givenchy.
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The dress' simple design
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British fashion designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was simple and classic, with a sleek and sharp cut, and no lace, embroidery, or embellishments. It featured an off-the-shoulder neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sculpted waistline that fell into a train made of triple silk organza. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers and required eight fittings to perfect.
The design process for the dress was a collaboration between Waight Keller and Markle, who wanted a timeless and minimalist look. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady, which gave it a soft matte, yet luminous effect. The fabric was chosen to evoke a sense of modernity, while still respecting tradition. The six seams in the gown created a contoured silhouette, which culminated in a majestic 16-foot-long train.
The simplicity of the dress allowed Markle to choose a more intricate veil. The five-metre-long silk tulle veil featured a trim of hand-embroidered flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as Markle's home state of California and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. The veil also included a piece of the blue dress that Markle wore on her first date with Prince Harry.
The dress was estimated to cost around $265,000 and was paid for by the bride herself. It required 3,900 hours of design and five months of collaboration between Markle and the design team. The dress was a departure from traditional royal wedding styles, with its lack of lace, embroidery, or embellishments, and reflected Markle's personal style and aesthetic.
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The veil's intricate floral design
The veil that Meghan Markle wore with her wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy. The veil was five metres long and made of silk tulle. It featured a delicate trim of hand-embroidered flowers, which took 3,900 hours to create. The intricate floral design included flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) to honour Markle's home state, and wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), which grows at Kensington Palace. The veil also included a piece of the blue dress that Markle wore on her first date with Prince Harry.
The veil's floral design was a special gesture embracing the Commonwealth flora. Each flower was worked flat in three dimensions, creating a unique and delicate design. The workers spent hundreds of hours meticulously sewing and washing their hands every thirty minutes to keep the tulle and threads pristine. The veil was secured in Markle's hair with the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara, loaned by Queen Elizabeth II.
The choice of flowers in the veil's design held significant meaning for Markle and Prince Harry. The inclusion of the California poppy paid homage to Markle's birthplace, while the wintersweet flower held a special connection to Kensington Palace, where the couple resided. The Commonwealth flowers reflected the couple's interest in the work of the Commonwealth and added a touch of international flavour to the wedding ensemble.
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The dress' £100k price tag
Meghan Markle's wedding dress, designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, reportedly cost £100,000. The designer described the process of creating the dress as starting out "quite relaxed", with Markle talking about her personal style, including her love for Audrey Hepburn. The dress featured an open neckline, "a small, rounded, neat shoulder", and a sculptural silhouette, all signatures of the French fashion house.
The fabric used to create the dress was of the highest quality, including triple silk organza, which drove up the price. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers, with only five months to manufacture the dress and veil, and eight fittings. The veil was a particular focus, with 3,900 hours spent on its design, featuring a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza.
The dress received mixed reviews from the public, with some describing it as "beautiful" and "stunning", while others found it "boring" and "ill-fitting". Critics noted that the dress seemed to be inspired by a Givenchy dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1957 film *Funny Face*, as well as by a dress worn by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
The cost of the dress was estimated to be around $265,000 by Vanity Fair, although other sources place the figure closer to $400,000 or even $500,000. Spending six figures on a dress is standard for royal weddings, with Princess Diana's wedding dress estimated to have cost $115,000, and Kate Middleton's dress reportedly costing $434,000.
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The dress' off-the-shoulder neckline
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Givenchy's then-creative director Clare Waight Keller. The off-the-shoulder neckline was described as "graphic open" in a bateau style, which gracefully framed the shoulders and emphasised the slender sculpted waist. The dress was made from double-bonded silk cady, with a pure white sheen and a soft matte but luminous effect. The neckline was achieved using six meticulously placed seams, with three-quarter-length sleeves and a sculpted waistline that fell into a 16-foot-long train. The dress was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's iconic 1957 Givenchy dress from the film Funny Face.
The dress was an unexpected choice, as it defied royal wedding fashion trends by being incredibly simple and without lace, embellishments, or embroidered details. Markle's gown was estimated to cost $265,000, and the design process took five months of collaboration between the bride and the design team. The dress also required eight fittings and 3,900 hours of work on the veil.
The veil, designed by Waight Keller, featured hand-embroidered flowers and crops of wheat, representing the distinctive flora of all 53 Commonwealth countries. The veil was made from five-metre-long silk tulle and was held in place by Queen Mary's diamond bandeau tiara, loaned to Markle by the Queen. The veil also included two flowers with personal meaning to the bride: wintersweet, which grows outside her home with Prince Harry, and the California poppy, the state flower of California, where she grew up.
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Frequently asked questions
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy.
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 dress was described as having a "timeless minimal elegance".
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's iconic Givenchy dress from the 1957 movie *Funny Face*. Markle also cited Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's wedding gown as an inspiration.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress is estimated to have cost $265,000 or £100k.
