Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Royal wedding fairy-tale dress made in Britain
Queen will vet the bridal design
LOCAL wedding designer, Greg Wallis, has tipped London- based haute couture designers Ralph & Russo as the most likely bet as the creators of the dress to be worn by bride Meghan Markle when she marries Britain’s Prince Harry today.
And if not the designer duo, it will be the likes of Mira Zwillinger, Stella McCartney or Erdem – as according to Wallis, the royal bridal dress has to have the approval of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry’s grandmother.
“The Queen has to approve the dress and reading UK media reports, Meghan will not want to ruffle the Queen’s feathers so is bound to choose a quintessential British designer.
“I would guess either Ralph & Russo who design very romantic, ephemeral dresses. Or someone like Mira Zwillinger, who also designs very romantic dresses but also very sexy, so I don’t know if the queen would approve there,” said Wallis.
And he should know, as Wallis has closely followed the royal dress ever since the wedding day of Prince Charles and his blushing bride Diana back in 1981.
“There were lots of com- ments about Di’s dress, but I thought it was perfect for her. She was round-shouldered and the ruffle and ruffled sleeves took the eye away from her round shoulders.
“As she emerged from the state coach she was like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. Of course, the Spencer tiara rounded the whole thing off.
“When it came to Prince William and Kate’s wedding, the dress by Sarah Burton was absolutely stunning with that handmade lace. It was very simple and elegant, giving her the tiniest of waists and a swan like neck.
“Since then she has set trends, everything she wears is followed,” said Wallis.
Back on the subject of today’s royal spectacular, Wallis highlighted that Ralph & Russo made Markle’s engagement dress.
And while he’ll be scrutinising every detail of Markle’s wedding dress, Wallis will also be keeping an eye on all the trends being set (or not) by the rich and famous attending the wedding.
“Keep an eye out for Charles Spencer and of course – which wife will he be taking?
“While London socialite Kitty Spencer – what will she be wearing?
“Always good for a laugh will be the York sisters. One never knows what headgear they’ll be wearing.
“We’re all keen to see what the Duchess of Cambridge (Princess Kate) will be wearing and will the bump have gone? (She has recently given birth to her third child).
“I’m looking forward to Princess Charlene of Monaco. She’s South African and she’s a style icon, sometimes changing her look completely.
“I also want to see how Meghan Markle’s mother compares to the queen, while there’s also interest in what Victoria Beckham will be wearing as she has been styling Meghan.”