Designer of Meghan Markle’s pregnancy announcement dress says outfit sent a ‘powerful message’

Designer says Duchess of Sussex had the dress custom made when she was pregnant with Archie

(PA)

The designer who made the dress Meghan Markle wore for her pregnancy announcement has opened up about the “powerful message” the Duchess of Sussex sent with her outfit choice.

When the duchess and Prince Harry announced that they were expecting their second child, they did so with a black-and-white photo taken of the couple by their friend and photographer Misan Harriman.

In the photo, Meghan can be seen wearing a sleeveless, floor-length white dress by Carolina Herrera and cradling her baby bump, with her head in her husband’s lap as they both lounge in the grass. 

According to Wes Gordon, the creative director of Carolina Herrera, the duke and duchess’s announcement promoted a message of sustainability because he first made Meghan’s dress when she was pregnant with the couple’s son Archie, who will be two in May.

“I made [the dress] for her when she was pregnant with Archie, so almost two years ago,” Gordon told The Telegraph. “There’s a reality, it’s 2021, and we have a world to save, right? This is an undeniable crisis, and everyone has to do their part. 

While acknowledging that Herrera is “committed to pursuing sustainable fabrics,” the 34-year-old continued: “The number one thing someone can do for sustainability is hold on to those pieces you buy and use them for a longer amount of time.

“That’s why I think what Meghan did is such a powerful message.”

Gordon also pointed out that the dress is “no less beautiful” even though it has been worn before, a sentiment that the duchess clearly agrees with.

“She wore a dress that’s no less beautiful because it’s two years old, it makes her feel no less special or no less happy,” he said. 

Meghan has worn designs by Gordon for notable occasions before, including for her first Trooping of the Colour in June 2018, when she wore a peach outfit by Herrera, and when she met Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, an occasion which saw her wear a floor-length blue-patterned dress. 

Meghan attends her first Trooping the Colour (Getty Images)

Meghan wears Carolina Herrera in Morocco (Getty Images)

The duchess has also shown her dedication to sustainable fashion by frequently choosing to wear clothes from brands known for being eco-friendly.