Designer styles veil for all countries

MEGHAN Markle revealed her royal wedding dress to the world, wearing British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy.

The stunning gown featured long sleeves and a boat neckline.

Meghan styled her hair in a low bun and was wearing Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara, lent to her by the Queen.

The world glimpsed the bride as she drove to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle with her mother Doria Ragland. It has been previously reported her dress cost between $500,000 and $600,000.

Ms Waight Keller last year became the first female artistic director at the historic French fashion house Givenchy.

“After meeting Ms Waight Keller in early 2018, Ms Markle chose to work with her for her timeless and elegant aesthetic, impeccable tailoring, and relaxed demeanour,” a Kensington Palace press release said.

“Ms Markle also 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, Chloe, and now Givenchy.

“The timeless dress epitomises a minimal elegance referencing the codes of the iconic House of Givenchy.” True to the heritage of the house, the pure lines of the dress are achieved using six meticulously placed seams.

The focus is the open bateau neckline that frames the shoulders and emphasises the slender waist.

The lines extend to the back where the train flows in round folds cushioned by an underskirt in triple silk organza.

The slim three-quarter sleeves add a note of refined modernity. Following extensive research by Ms Waight Keller in fabric mills throughout Europe, an exclusive double bonded silk cady was developed.

Perfect for the round sculptural look required, the silk cady has a soft matt lustre while the bonding process and pure white colour bring a fresh modernity to the dress. Meghan wanted to have all 53 countries of the Commonwealth with her through the ceremony.

Ms Waight Keller designed a veil representing the distinctive flora of each Commonwealth country.

The veil is five metres long and made from silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza.

Symmetrically placed at the front of the veil, crops of wheat are delicately embroidered and blend into the flora, to symbolise love and charity.

WHILE critics have had mixed reactions over the simplicity of Meghan’s dress, no one can fault the beautiful tiara. On loan from the Queen, it was specifically made for the Queen’s grandmother Queen Mary in 1932 to accommodate the detachable brooch,...