Meghan Markle has a close circle of friends, and she doesn’t always speak publicly about their relationships with one another as some are not public figures. But she recently worked with her friend and wedding dress designer Clare Waight Keller’s in support of her latest business venture, and offered a glimpse into their bond.
Waight Keller is now the new creative director of Uniqlo. The Duchess of Sussex is a personal fan and collector of the line, and recently told The New York Times that she owns many of Waight Keller’s Uniqlo pieces.
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“Her pieces for the brand have movement and modern grace,” Meghan told the outlet. The two have been friends since Waight Keller designed her wedding gown over six years ago. Meghan says they share “a beautiful friendship.”
The two worked together for six months to create Meghan’s iconic long-sleeved, boat neck gown and a 16-foot long veil. The gown put more eyes on Waight Keller. At the time, she was the first woman to hold the job as creative director at the French fashion house, Givenchy. She left in April 2020 after three years with the company. And she says Meghan has supported her every step of the way.
“Every time I make a career move, I feel my choices take people by surprise,” Waight Keller told The New York Times. Of her time at Givenchy, Waight Keller added, “I thought, you know, maybe it can just be a short chapter at Givenchy. Maybe short is actually kind of gorgeous.”
The first Uniqlo: C collection debuted in September 2023. Another collection launched this Spring.
In November 2023, the designer took part in a panel at the 2023 Bazaar At Work Summit where she spoke about working with Meghan for her wedding day. “It was just a pleasure to create in this very, very private way,” she said. “It was just the two of us for so long, and it became this very personal girlfriend relationship.”
