George Boyle
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady with six seams, three-quarter-length sleeves, an open bateau neckline, and a train with a triple silk organza underskirt. Notably, the dress did not feature any lace, which is a typical tradition for royal wedding dresses. Instead, Markle opted for a seamless, embellishment-free design. The Duchess of Sussex's gown was praised for its timeless minimal elegance, setting trends for years to come.
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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 historic French fashion house Givenchy. Markle chose Waight Keller because she wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent who has 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. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady with a purity that was achieved through a design that featured only six seams. It had three-quarter-length sleeves, an open boat neckline, and a train with a built-in triple silk organza underskirt. The dress was without lace, embellishments, or embroidered details, which defied royal wedding fashion trends.
Markle and Waight Keller worked closely together to design the dress, with the latter stating that the process was "very collaborative". The two communicated through discreet texts and phone calls before and after nondisclosure agreements were signed. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers, with only five months to manufacture it and the veil. There were eight fittings in total.
The dress was inspired by Markle's affinity for Audrey Hepburn, with the off-the-shoulder neckline inspired by the iconic Givenchy dress Hepburn wore in the 1957 movie Funny Face. Markle and Waight Keller were also inspired by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who surprised everyone with the simplicity of her wedding dress.
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The dress's fabric and style
The wedding dress of Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller under the Givenchy label. Markle chose Keller due to her "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour", as well as her commitment to empowering women. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers in just five months.
The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady, featuring a soft matte, but gracefully luminous effect. It had a bateau or boat neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sculpted waistline. The dress was also described as having a "graphic open" neckline, "a small, rounded, neat shoulder", and a sculptural silhouette. The back of the dress featured a majestic 16-foot-long train, intensified with a triple silk organza underskirt. The dress was without lace, embellishments, or any other decorations, reflecting Markle's personal style and paying homage to the history of the Givenchy house.
The dress was simple and minimal, marking a departure from previous royal wedding looks. It was compared to the wedding dress of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, as well as a Givenchy dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1957 film *Funny Face*. It was also noted for its resemblance to dresses worn by Angela Brown at her wedding to Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein in 2000, and Mary Donaldson at her wedding to Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, in 2004.
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The veil's design and meaning
The veil Meghan Markle wore to her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018 was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. It was made of silk tulle and featured delicate embroidery along the edges. The veil was almost 16.5 feet long.
The veil's design included flora from the 53 Commonwealth countries. Each flower was worked flat in three dimensions to create a unique and delicate design. The team spent hundreds of hours meticulously sewing and washing their hands every 30 minutes to keep the tulle and threads pristine. The veil also included crops of wheat, symbolising love and charity, at the front. Markle also incorporated two of her personal favourite florals into the design: the wintersweet, which grows in front of Nottingham Cottage where she and Harry live, and the California poppy, the state flower of her birthplace.
The veil represented Markle's wish to have all 53 countries of the Commonwealth with her "on her journey through the ceremony". The designer stated:
> We both loved the story of that. It also meant that [every] one of those countries also journeyed up the aisle with her. It was a really poetic moment.
Markle's veil was a departure from past royal bridal fashion trends of opulent lace and crystal embellishments. Her wedding dress was also designed by Waight Keller and was similarly simple, without any embroidery or beading.
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The dress's cost and construction time
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller under the Givenchy label. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady with six seams, three-quarter-length sleeves, an open boat neckline, and a sculpted waistline that fell into a train made of triple silk organza. The dress was intentionally simple and without lace or any other embellishments, marking a departure from traditional royal wedding dresses.
The dress took five months to manufacture, with Waight Keller and Markle meeting for eight fittings. The veil, on the other hand, took longer to create than the dress itself. Embroiderers spent 500 hours completing it, washing their hands every 30 minutes to ensure its immaculate state until the wedding day. The veil was hand-embroidered with various flowers, including the California poppy and wintersweet, along with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth.
The cost of the wedding dress was estimated to be around $265,000, paid for by Markle herself. The process also required 3,900 hours of design for the veil and five months of collaboration between the bride and the design team.
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The dress's reception and influence
The Dress's Reception
The dress worn by Meghan Markle at her wedding to Prince Harry on 19 May 2018 was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller, artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. The dress was made of double-bonded silk with three-quarter-length sleeves, an open bateau neckline, and a train with built-in triple silk organza. The dress was without lace or any other embellishments.
The reception dress, on the other hand, was a Stella McCartney halter-neck sheath gown with a high halter neckline. 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—all on-brand for the philanthropic Duchess of Sussex.
The Dress's Influence
The dress has had a significant influence on bridal fashion, with many brides opting for a more minimal and classic look. The dress also challenged royal wedding fashion trends, as it was incredibly simple and did not include lace, embellishments, or embroidered details. Markle's choice of designer, Waight Keller, also highlighted the success of a leading British talent who has served as the creative head of globally influential fashion houses.
The dress was also notable for its subtle meaningful details, such as the piece of blue fabric stitched inside, which was from the dress Markle wore on her first date with Prince Harry. The veil, too, was embroidered with flowers representing the countries of the Commonwealth, as well as Markle's home state of California and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace.
The dress has been compared to those worn by other royal brides, including Princess Kate's long-sleeve lace look and Princess Diana's voluminous ball gown. It has also been likened to a Givenchy dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1957 film *Funny Face*.
The dress was put on display in October 2018 at the "A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex" exhibit at Windsor Castle, allowing the public to admire its elegant design up close.
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Frequently asked questions
No, there was no lace on Meghan Markle's wedding dress.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller under the Givenchy label.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was made of double-bonded silk cady.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress is estimated to have cost $265,000.
