The designer responsible for Meghan Markle's royal wedding dress was named as none other than Givenchy's creative director Clare Waight Keller. The 47-year-old succeeded Riccardo Tisci in March 2017, becoming the first woman to hold the title at the French fashion house.
It was speculated Markle was likely to choose one of the many designers she's been spotted in since she and Prince Harry announced their engagement in November 2017. The American actress donned a couture evening gown designed by Ralph & Russo in her engagement photos and has been repeatedly snapped wearing pieces from the British label. French designer Roland Mouret and Canadian-born designer Erdem Moralioglu were also considered top contenders to create Markle's wedding gown. However, it was Waight Keller who Harry's new wife opted for, wearing a pristine, white, long-sleeve gown down the aisle on Saturday.
A British native, Waight Keller has a penchant for playing up a feminine romance in her pieces, designing some of her most breathtaking clothing while holding the title of creative director of Chloe, where she worked from 2011 before moving over to Givenchy.
A student at Ravensbourne College of Art, Waight Keller received her Masters in Fashion Knitwear at the Royal College of Art. Following her time at university, she was hired by Calvin Klein to work under the CK Calvin Klein label and was quickly promoted to designing womenswear for the mainline collection. Waight Keller worked for the American brand for four years before moving on to Ralph Lauren where she served as the head designer of Men's Purple Label, according to the Business of Fashion.
In 2000, Waight Keller left Ralph Lauren to work as a senior designer with Christopher Bailey and Francisco Costa at Gucci. In 2005, she landed the position of creative director of Pringle of Scotland and has been considered the mastermind responsible for reviving and rebranding the heritage knitwear label.
In 2007, Waight Keller was named the Scottish Cashmere Designer of the Year at Scottish Fashion Awards, and she is also a 2016 recipient of Elle Style's Editor's Choice of the Year award.
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