Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Frock & awe
Simple, classic, perfect That’s power dressing Designer tells of Prince Harry’s delight at his ‘stunning’ bride
PRINCE Harry was so overwhelmed by the sight of his beautiful bride he could not wait to thank Meghan’s dress designer, gushing: “She looks absolutely stunning.”
Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller made the revelation as she and Meghan’s hairstylist Serge Normant spoke yesterday about their top-secret preparations for the big day.
Clare, 47, who made history as the first female artistic director at the French fashion house, did not even tell her husband she was designing the dress until the morning of the wedding.
Meghan chose her in January, and a covert operation of secret visits and fittings followed.
Birmingham-born Clare said: “It’s an incredible thing to be part of such a historic moment.
“I think she loved the fact that I was a British designer and working in a house such as Givenchy, which has its roots in a very classical, beautiful style.”
And she said of Harry’s reaction to the dress on Saturday: “He came straight up to me and said, ‘Oh my God, thank you, she looks absolutely stunning’.”
The bridal gown was simple, in classic white, but the veil was embroidered with flowers from each of the 53 Commonwealth nations.
Workers spent hundreds of hours sewing the elaborate design, washing their hands every 30 minutes to keep the tulle and threads pristine.
The design reflects the key role Meghan and Harry will play in the Commonwealth.
Clare said: “There was a conversation early on about the story we were going to tell. I came up with the idea of representing each of the countries of the Commonwealth, through their flora
Fashion and Beauty Director
MEGHAN turned to Paris fashion house Givenchy because of its classical heritage.
She also knew she could trust artistic director Clare Waight Keller to interpret her vision and reflect her effortless style.
Meghan knew exactly the understated look she was going for and anyone that thinks the dress was too plain is missing the point.
The dress was a minimalist masterpiece, beautiful in its restraint and sophisticated thanks to its simplicity. The design also allowed her stunning five-metre veil and diamond tiara to form the centrepiece.
For the evening reception her slinky Stella Mccartney halterneck dress provided the wow factor. Two perfect dresses. Both exceptional because of their restraint. and fauna. It meant every single one of those countries journeyed up the aisle with her.
“It was a really poetic moment. Meghan said, ‘I love the story of that’.” As for any tears when the new Duchess of Sussex saw herself fully dressed, Clare said: “No, she was incredibly composed. It was really quite extraordinary.”
New York-based Serge also found Meghan – who wore a white, halterneck Stella Mc-cartney gown for the evening do – was relaxed. He spent 45 minutes styling her hair into a loose bun around her tiara and veil. The 52-year-old said: “She was calm and chatty; very happy, no nerves. We woke up early, had a little coffee then went on.”
Serge, who met Meghan through friends last year, blowdried her hair and used lots of pins plus mousse and texturising product. He said: “The key is not making it too tight.
“I wanted her to be able to tuck it behind her ears if she wanted to, because that’s what she normally does. The relaxed style is very reflective of her; never contrived, an easiness about her.”
He had a practice run last week, after discussions about the style. Serge said: “She had a good input. I didn’t know at first what would be on her head but I knew it would be a tiara. It wasn’t about reinvention. She’s gorgeous, so it was easy.”
Though he said: “The whole immensity of the event, you don’t know until you are there. I didn’t see [the tiara] until last week. It was pretty easy to place. You want it to stay well.” Of handling a priceless tiara, Serge added: “You have to separate the two things, otherwise I would shake. And I didn’t want to shake. It is a piece of history.”
Features Editor (Showbiz)
MEGHAN’S gown was a delicate balance of glamour and understatement, a modern look for a modern duchess.
And her story is a modern Cinderella fairytale. Two years ago this relatively unknown actress’s show was only available on Dave.
Now she’s a global figure, proof for millions of little girls they can still achieve their dreams in a world of #Metoo and Trump.
Surely that warrants a full-on Princess dress? Some lace, diamonds, a well-placed ruffle? I wanted one so OTT, it would make Diana’s look plain. So off-the-scale it would scream “I’m marrying Harry” to the world.
But then again, Meghan doesn’t need to scream. She’s already one of this generation’s most powerful voices.