Duchess Meghan Markle wore a minimalist Givenchy wedding dress

Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight, who is the artistic director of the famous French fashion house Givenchy. Meghan opted for an elegant and minimalist gown with a long train and a discreet boat neck. The two women worked closely on the design.

Meghan Markle and Clare Waight first began working together on the dress design in early 2018. According to SkyNews, Meghan justified her choice by saying that Clare Waight's designs exactly met her idea of ​​a timeless and elegant dress. At the same time, she praised the designer's talent and the precise workmanship of the world-famous Parisian couture atelier Givenchy.

"It was an incredibly enriching experience and I will cherish the memories of working with Meghan, which were carried out on a personal level, forever. Both Givenchy and I wish the couple a happy marriage and a future together," Clare Waight told the DailyMail.

Design

In keeping with the fashion house's legacy, the dress was dominated by clean lines, with six carefully placed seams. The fitted bodice was dominated by a boat-cut neckline that revealed the collarbones and slender neck. The three-quarter sleeves gave the gown a pleasant lightness. The skirt's cut gradually widened and ended with a long train.

Fabric

After extensive research in textile factories across Europe, designer Waight resorted to an exclusively developed double silk fabric. Thanks to it, it was possible to achieve firm, sculpturally precise silhouettes. Both ladies agreed on a pure white fabric with a matte sheen.

Veil

Meghan expressed her wish that the veil symbolize the union of all 53 Commonwealth countries. Waight therefore designed a unique model that depicted the unique flora of each Commonwealth country. Together, the flowers formed one magnificent floral composition.

The veil was five meters long and was made of silk tulle with the aforementioned hand-embroidered flowers made of silk thread and organza.

The workers spent hundreds of hours sewing it, washing their hands every thirty minutes to ensure the final product was perfectly clean and meticulously crafted. In addition, Meghan wanted to include two of her favorite flowers on her veil, the early winterflower, which grows on the grounds of Kensington Palace, and the California sunflower, the state flower of California, where Markle was born.