Raphael Satter And Sylvia Hui, The Associated Press
WINDSOR, England — British designer Clare Waight Keller is the master designer behind the silk boat-necked gown and long veil worn by Meghan Markle as she walked down the flower-bedecked nave of St. George’s Chapel for her wedding to Prince Harry.
Waight Keller, the first female artistic director of French fashion house Givenchy, met Markle earlier this year, Kensington Palace said. The statement said Markle wanted a dress with an “elegant esthetic, impeccable tailoring, and relaxed demeanour.”
Markle’s choice was being closely watched Saturday given how big an impact royal weddings have on what brides everywhere want to wear.
Princess Diana’s 1981 wedding gown, with its romantic details and dramatic train, defined the ’80s fairytale bridal look.
More recently, when Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011, her long-sleeved lace gown immediately sparked a trend for more covered-up, traditional lace bridal dresses.
Markle’s choice was a far cry from what she wore for her first wedding to film producer Trevor Engelson: For that beach wedding, in 2011, she sported a simple, strapless white gown adorned with a jeweled belt.
Markle and Engelson divorced in 2013.