Why Meghan Markle Turned to Stella McCartney for Her Sexy, Slinky Second Wedding Dress
After months of speculation, the designers behind Meghan Markle‘s wedding dresses have finally been revealed. The royal bride-to-be turned to two trusted female British designers to create her elegant, effortless and timeless wedding day looks that will remain inspirational to brides for decades to come.
After wearing a timeless, custom Givenchy design by the label’s Creative Director Clare Waight Keller featuring three-quarter length sleeves, Meghan decided to take a turn in a sexy direction in a silky, slinky halter Stella McCartney gown featuring an open back.
McCartney is the daughter of rock n’ roll royalty Sir Paul McCartney (who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth alongside the other surviving Beatles in 1997!) and the late musician Linda McCartney. She flew under the royal wedding dress radar, with British brands like Ralph and Russo, Burberry and Erdem all being touted as front runners.
But for Meghan, McCartney seems like a natural choice. The designer is an advocate for female empowerment and at the forefront of the sustainable fashion conversation, two things the newly-married, socially conscious royal aligns with.
In an April 2018 interview with The Guardian, McCartney, played coy when asked if she was tapped to design Meghan’s dress.
“How many designers have you said that to today?” the 46-year-old designer quipped back at the reporter, noticeably evading rumors that had been circulating.
McCartney has been an early adopter of sustainable fashion in the industry, focusing her label on ethically sourced designs that feature sleek, non-fussy silhouettes and celebrate the female form.
“I come at fashion with lightness of heart. I shot my last ad campaign in a landfill site for a reason, and to make a point, obviously. But the models looked happy, there was lightness, there was color,” she told the Guardian. “My messaging is not the kind that is going to make you panic or feel rubbish about yourself or not sleep at night, because I don’t think that achieves much.”
The designer added that she and her husband Alasdhair Willis, often take their four children Miller, 13, Beckett, 11, Bailey, 10 and Reiley, 7, to the English countryside as nature continues to inspire her fashion designs.
“Everything comes from nature. I mean, where does color come from, if not from nature, from the changing of the seasons? Every fabric we use is emulating something from nature,” she gushed. “Nature is … oh man, it’s magnificent, isn’t it?”
It’s the event of the year! Be sure to keep up with all of PEOPLE’s royal wedding coverage and don’t forget to check out everything you need to know about Meghan Markle’s perfect style.
On May 7, McCartney attended the Met Gala alongside Miley Cyrus and Paris Jackson, dressing both stars for the event. Cyrus wore a black silk satin backless halter gown with gold chain detailing, and Jackson wore a sienna-hued pleated silk tulle gown with tiara headband.
For her part, McCartney wore an emerald green silk jacquard strapless dress with double tiered sleeves.
McCartney is also known for her sexy white gown silhouettes like Rihanna’s two-piece gown worn on the 2014 Met Gala red carpet, Karlie Kloss’ 2017 caped Oscars dress (which you can still buy here!), Isla Fisher’s 2016 Baftas dress and Kate Hudson’s one-shoulder 2017 Met Gala gown.
Kate Middleton also opted for a more party-ready look for her wedding reception at Buckingham Palace in 2011, changing into a strapless, fit-and-flare Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton look and a shrug.
