The current princess of fashion aka. The Duchess of Sussex
Meghan Markle’s wedding dress has been something of a ‘marmite’ outfit in the way that some loved it and others definitely didn’t. Some found her look too plain whilst others just didn’t get what Givenchy’s British designer, Clare Waight Keller was achieving. Manner HQ was naturally abuzz about the wedding and the moment Meghan rolled out of Cliveden House Hotel, with just a hint of her look showing from the shoulders, a tonne of names were thrown into the hat to decipher who had designed the gown. One stunning feature, mentioned by Ms Waight Keller was one subtle conformity to the Royal dress-code, but much like everything about Meghan’s wedding, it was done her way: "The delicate floral beauty of the veil was a vision Meghan and I shared, a special gesture embracing the commonwealth flora, ascending the circumference of the silk tulle.” We just adore this tribute from the designer and the bride.
According to Stella McCartney, Meghan Markle’s evening wedding dress, created by the designer was something of a last ‘hurrah’ to the joy of fashion before she joins the ranks of Royals for their ‘austere’ duties. She stated that it was the "last moment that she [Ms Markle] could reflect sort of the other side to her: the joy and the human within her”. Hmm… a little strong perhaps? Or does the prerequisite for a Royal have to be that their fashion is somewhat well, frumpy? There are of course, guidelines when it comes to the Royal wardrobe, but the Duchess of Sussex has already broken attire protocol (13 times according to popsugar.com) and we couldn’t be prouder! So far, since the wedding we’ve seen an off the shoulder, custom-made Carolina Herrera for The Trooping of the Colour, a fascinator worn twice within a few weeks, no tights (which is apparently a Royal no-no) and her signature messy bun was in its fine, floaty form for the wedding day itself.
Did Grace Kelly have a last fashion hurrah and then slip on her moccasins, don her tweed coat, apply a smidge of fawn gloss and head off into her Royal duties? Nah, we don’t think so. Frankly, the only difference in her appearance was the eye-popping new accessory collection she had at her princess fingertips.
Ok, so some of you are saying, ‘it happened to Kate,’ she turned a tad drab after her wedding to Will. But unlike the Middleton sisters who, let’s face it weren’t exactly fashionistas in the first instance, the Duchess of Sussex is a onetime style icon who hails from the Hollywood Hills. Her style CV reads like a who’s who of fashion designers and creators and our latest Royal has the face to launch a thousand labels.
Take for instance, the independently owned Scottish brand, Strathberry. A little heard of accessories brand created by a husband and wife duo, Guy and Leeanne Hundleby, which was catapulted into fame last December when the then Ms Markle stepped out with one of their bags. Leeanne Hundleby decided, on impulse, to send Meghan a selection of handbags toward the end of 2017, it was little more than a hopeful punt and the mother of four probably didn’t anticipate what happened next, ‘The Markle Effect'. The £495 bag sold out in literally minutes. Strathberry went on to report a staggering 5000% increase in sales and as you can imagine, within a few weeks their entire collection was all snapped up.
The Duchess of Sussex not only breaks protocol within the formalities of what not to wear, but she also has the power to promote brands that might otherwise be unheard of. She’s been spotted in a range of differently priced ensembles; from an M&S sweater to the highest price tag designer wear. Ok, so Kate and even little Charlotte have wielded similar power, but nobody in the history of the Royal family has managed to sell out items and entire lines of clothing as quickly as Ms Markle. As an influencer, Meghan has broken records in terms of how much in demand each item she steps out in.
Clothing and fashion aside for a moment, our newest Royal has an undoubtedly natural look when it comes to her hair and make-up. She’s low key; less is more and keeping it light and simple just makes us love her all the more. Her wedding day saw a dewy faced Meghan shine from the inside out as she and Harry exchanged nuptials. Everyone looked on as this beacon of freshness and modernity changed the face of the British aristocracy for good. Her wedding was done her way and as far as we’re concerned it was literally perfect… She is literally perfect.
In the short amount of time that the Duchess of Sussex has been out on her Royal duties since her wedding, we’ve seen not only a delightful display of fashion, but a breath of fresh air in her poise and demeanour. You just have to look at her and her new BFF, The Queen on their recent trip to Liverpool. “No need for Harry to come,’” said Our Sovereign, and the two ladies spent their first engagement in displays of laughter and genuine happiness at being in each other’s company.
It seems that the Markle Sparkle is rubbing off on even the highest echelons of the Royal household! Go Megs. The Duchess of Sussex is definitely our favourite Royal.
