Meghan Markle's Dress Designer Reveals How They Were Quietly Clued Into Her Royal Baby Secret
Meghan Markle's pregnancy meant some changes had to be made to her royal tour wardrobe
Meghan Markle‘s pregnancy meant some changes had to be made to her royal tour wardrobe.
Don O’Neill – the creative director of Theia, the brand behind Meghan’s elegant white dress that she wore in Tonga for a private audience with King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u – jumped at the chance to create a look for the Duchess of Sussex.
“When her stylist reached out to inquire if I could make a dress for her Australian press tour, I stopped everything we were doing (my bridal show was just a week away) and immediately went to work on Her Royal Highness’ gown,” O’Neill says in a release.
The Theia team completed the look in just two days and shipped it to her. Although they got word that Meghan “loved” the piece, there was a major caveat.
“We needed to remake it with extra seam allowance,” O’Neill explains. “We knew immediately why this extra allowance was required, but mum’s the word, and with less than one week to my bridal show, all hands were on deck once more.”
He adds, “We re-made the gown and I literally had to run down Broadway that Friday night to catch the UPS truck, making it with just two minutes to spare!”
O’Neill shares that Meghan, 37, has served as inspiration for the brand’s designs.
“The Duchess of Sussex has long been a source of inspiration,” he says. “Her classic, effortless and chic style coupled with all the excitement leading up to her wedding earlier this year inspired my Spring 2019 bridal collection, which I showed in April.”
He adds, “I am humbled and sooo excited to dress The Duchess of Sussex. It has been an exciting whirlwind collaboration.Her Royal Highness is a truly beautiful inspiring woman, a bright shining light in this world, and we at Theia are truly honored to be part of The Royal Tour of Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga and New Zealand.”
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Meghan’s gown ($995) will soon be available for pre-order.
RELATED VIDEO: Meghan Markle is Gorgeous in Green as She and Prince Harry Unveil Statue in Fiji
Meghan’s white gown marked her third outfit in less than five hours. She started her day in Fiji wearing a green shift dress with short sleeves by Jason Wu, a Taiwanese and Canadian designer based in New York City, and paired it with her Manolo Blahnik BB pumps in black suede.
After mastering a quick change on the plane, the royal mom-to-be arrived in Tonga dressed in the same hue as the country’s flag.