Replicating Meghan Markle’s royal wedding dress seemed relatively straightforward for two Sydney seamstresses until the bride stepped out of the car at St George’s Chapel with a five-metre, heavily-embroidered veil.
Like millions of others around the world on Saturday, Elizabeth Alexandrou and Tessa Rankin were glued to their television screen as the former Suits actress made her way to Windsor Castle to marry Prince Harry.
Surrounded by fabrics and patterns, the dressmakers had already a basic fitting with their model.
“We just sat there and patiently watched for the reveal,” said Ms Alexandrou, who produced the one-off creation in approximately 10 hours for fabric and haberdashery chain Spotlight.
“We sort of got an idea through the car with the neckline but once she got out, we started sketching.”
The new Duchess of Sussex wore a pure white, open bateau-neck gown with three-quarter length sleeves, a sculpted waist and an A-line skirt, fashioned from double-bonded silk cady, with a triple-silk organza underskirt.
Designer Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of iconic French fashion house Givenchy, was behind the minimalist, haute couture gown.
It was accessorised with a billowing veil embroidered with flowers from each of the 53 Commonwealth nations, including wattle for Australia, plus two of Ms Markle’s own favourites, Wintersweet and the California poppy.
The sparkles were reserved for the bride’s head, where Queen Mary’s 1932, diamond filigree bandeau tiara held the silk tulle veil in place.
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Re the Stand by Me video included here. At a ballet eisteddfod today they played a different version of that song for a performance. Those acts are rehearsed for months. What are the odds?!