Rhiannon Hendricks
Meghan Markle's wedding dress has been one of the most talked-about looks in royal fashion history. Markle wore a simple and classic off-the-shoulder gown designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy when she married Prince Harry in 2018. The dress was designed in Paris and featured a bateau neckline, structured three-quarter sleeves, and a sculpted waistline that fell into a train made of triple silk organza. The dress received mixed reviews, with some praising its elegance and timelessness, while others criticised it as being boring, baggy, and ill-fitting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Designer | Clare Waight Keller |
| Design House | Givenchy |
| Fabric | Triple silk organza |
| Style | Simple, classic, elegant, timeless, minimalist |
| Details | Flowers embroidered on veil, bateau neckline, structured three-quarter sleeves, sculpted waistline, 16-foot veil |
| Cost | $265,000 |
| Public Opinion | Mixed reviews, some said "beautiful" and "stunning", others said "boring", "baggy", "ill-fitting", "too big" |
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What You'll Learn
The dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers and was designed in collaboration with Markle, who paid for the dress herself. The dress was reportedly chosen because of its ""elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour", and because Markle wanted to highlight Waight Keller's success as the creative head of three globally influential fashion houses. The dress was also chosen for its simplicity, marking a departure from previous royal wedding dresses. The gown was made of double-bonded silk 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 with a conservative cut along the bodice and sleeves to allow the bride to move and breathe comfortably.
Waight Keller is the first female artistic director of the historic French fashion house Givenchy. She was appointed to the role in 2017. The Duchess of Sussex chose to work with Waight Keller for her "timeless and elegant aesthetic, impeccable tailoring, and relaxed demeanour". The dress was an unexpected choice, as London-based brands such as Ralph & Russo and Erdem were initially considered favourites.
Markle's wedding dress received mixed reviews from the public. Some described it as "beautiful" and "stunning", while others called it "boring", "baggy", and "ill-fitting". Critics noted that the dress seemed to be an attempt to mimic the late fashion icon Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, whose wedding gown Markle had previously described as "everything goals". Markle's reception dress, a 1990s-style halter dress, was also compared to Bessette-Kennedy's now-classic wedding gown.
The veil, which was designed by Waight Keller, was embroidered with flowers representing the countries of the Commonwealth, the California poppy, and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. The veil was made from five-metre-long silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza. It was held in place by Queen Mary's diamond bandeau tiara, lent to Markle by the Queen.
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It was off-the-shoulder with a bateau neckline
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. Markle chose Keller because she admired her "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour". The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers and featured an off-the-shoulder design with a bateau neckline, which gracefully framed the shoulders and emphasised the slender sculpted waist. The bateau neckline is a type of boat neckline that follows the curve of the collarbone, creating a broad line across the top of the chest. It is often used in wedding dresses to create a classic and elegant look, which was certainly achieved by Markle's dress. The off-the-shoulder design added a touch of modernity and sensuality to the otherwise classic and elegant silhouette.
The dress was made of double-bonded silk crepe and featured structured three-quarter sleeves and a sculpted waistline that fell into a train made of triple silk organza. The fabric, as well as the triple silk organza used for the underskirt, was quite thick and stiff, which may have contributed to some people's perception that the dress was "too big" on Markle. However, it is likely that the more conservative cut along the bodice and sleeves was a purposeful choice to allow the bride to move and breathe comfortably.
Markle's wedding dress received mixed reviews from the public, with some describing it as "beautiful" and "stunning", while others found it "boring", "baggy", and "ill-fitting". Critics noted that the dress seemed to be inspired by the late fashion icon Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who surprised everyone with the simplicity of her wedding dress in 1996. Markle's dress was also compared to a formal dress Bessette-Kennedy once wore during her lifetime.
Overall, Markle's wedding dress was a departure from traditional royal bridal fashion, which often includes opulent lace and crystal embellishments. Instead, the dress was incredibly simple and minimalistic, reflecting the Duchess of Sussex's personal style and commitment to empowering women through her fashion choices.
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The dress was simple and classic
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller under the Givenchy label. Markle chose Keller because she "wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent who has now served as the creative head of three globally influential fashion houses — Pringle of Scotland, Chloé, and now Givenchy." The dress was made in Paris by "a small team of ateliers".
The 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". Critics noted that the dress seemed like an attempt to mimic the late fashion icon Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who Markle had previously said embodied "everything goals". Markle's wedding dress was compared to a formal dress Bessette-Kennedy once wore, and her reception dress had similarities to Bessette-Kennedy's now-classic wedding gown.
Markle's wedding dress was one of the most talked-about looks in royal fashion history. It has been described as timeless, minimal, and elegant. Stephanie White, founder and creative director of Odylyne The Ceremony, said that the dress was "simplistic enough in the silhouette but still classic enough to be considered a timeless dress". White also noted that the dress had a "very classic silhouette almost reminiscent of past princesses and duchesses" and that it "accentuates the frame of the bride, but [is] simplistic enough to let the focus be on the bride and not fully, or completely, on the details of the dress."
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It was criticised for being boring, baggy, and ill-fitting
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was an off-the-shoulder, double-bonded silk gown 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 required eight fittings.
The dress received mixed reviews from the public. Some described it as "beautiful" and "stunning", while others criticised it as "boring", "baggy", and "ill-fitting". Celebrity commentators, fashion editors, internet influencers, and Twitter users criticised the cut, shape, and matte satin fabric, calling the finish "dull" and noting a perceived lack of tailoring on the sleeves and waist.
One commentator, Robin Givhan of The Washington Post, noted that "it was not a Hollywood red carpet statement...it was not a Disney princess fantasy...the dress was a backdrop; it was in service to the woman." Desiree Cooper of the Detroit Free Press compared the dress unfavourably to a costume "straight from The Handmaid's Tale", but conceded that "she could have been wearing a paper bag...and it wouldn't have mattered an iota. That girl was just plain stunning."
Some speculated that the simplicity of the dress was intentional, as Markle had previously expressed admiration for the style of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who wore a simple wedding gown in 1996. Markle had also commented in 2016 that she preferred simple styles for wedding dresses. The dress may also have been designed with comfort in mind, as the thick, stiff fabric would have been constricting if cut too tight.
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The veil was embroidered with flowers representing the Commonwealth
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British fashion designer Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. The veil was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, reflecting the couple's interest in the work of the Commonwealth. Markle also chose two of her favourite flowers: wintersweet, which grows outside Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, where she and Harry lived, and the California poppy, from her birthplace of California. The creators of the veil spent hundreds of hours meticulously sewing the flowers, washing their hands every 30 minutes to ensure the piece was immaculate. Crops of wheat, which symbolise love and charity, sit at the very front of the veil.
The Commonwealth flowers were a surprise for Prince Harry, who had no idea his bride would incorporate the Commonwealth in such an intimate way. Markle said, "I hope people liked it as much as I liked helping to create it".
The dress itself was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers, with Markle and Keller meeting for eight fittings over five months. Markle chose Keller because she "wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent". The designer's "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour" also appealed to the Duchess of Sussex.
Markle's wedding dress was one of the most talked-about looks in royal fashion history. The Duchess of Sussex's bridal reveal took the world by storm, becoming one of the most celebrated royal fashion moments in history.
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Frequently asked questions
Meghan Markle's wedding dress received mixed reviews from the public. Some critics called the dress ""boring", "ill-fitting", and "too big", while others described it as "beautiful" and "stunning". Markle's dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller under the Givenchy label.
The fabric of Meghan Markle's dress, triple silk organza, is thick and stiff and does not allow for much stretch. Markle and Keller may have chosen a conservative cut to allow the bride to move and breathe more comfortably.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. Markle chose Keller due to her "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour".
