Meghan Markle says she has a 'beautiful friendship' with Uniqlo head

Accustomed to wearing designer clothing and exquisite jewels, the Duchess of Sussex is widely recognised for her luxurious style.

Yet Meghan Markle has admitted she owns several pieces from Japanese casual wear brand Uniqlo, following the appointment last month of her favourite designer, Clare Waight Keller, as the label's creative director.

In an email to The New York Times as part of an interview with Clare, who designed the Duchess' wedding dress, Prince Harry's wife revealed how she and the Birmingham-born fashion expert have a 'beautiful friendship'.

Meghan added that she owns several of Clare's Uniqlo items, including a trench coat and some dresses. 'Her pieces for the brand have movement and modern grace,' wrote the Duchess.

The brand's autumn/winter 2024 collection features neutral tones, soft fabrics and layering pieces - elements that seem perfectly suited to Meghan's style. 

In fact, it's easy to imagine the Duchess wearing several of these items - from the oversized grey wool coat to the olive turtleneck sweater - as she has sported similar looks in the past. 

During her time as a working royal, Meghan showed strong loyalty to Clare, frequently wearing her designs for Givenchy. 

She chose the brand for a number of significant royal firsts in 2018, including an engagement with Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Ascot, a solo event at the Royal Academy of Arts and her royal tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga with Prince Harry.

The British designer was the first ever woman to head up Givenchy in March 2017, where she worked across men's and women's ready-to-wear.

But it was the Duchess' wedding dress that truly made Clare a household name, after Meghan tied the knot with Prince Harry in May 2018 at St George's Chapel in front of the world while wearing one of the designer's creations.

After a three year tenure, Clare left Givenchy in 2020, with the French fashion house later revealing Sarah Burton, the designer of Kate Middleton's nuptial gown, as its new creative director.

The 50-year-old artist designed the Princess of Wales' dress during her role as creative director for Alexander McQueen - a position she assumed for 13 of her 26 years at the British label, taking over from founder Lee Alexander McQueen following his death in 2010. 

After Clare created Meghan's wedding gown, the royal went on to don several of her Givenchy designs, turning to the label to dress her for many prominent engagements, including her June 2018 outing at Ascot alongside the late Queen.

In December 2018, Meghan made clear how close the two women had become when she made a surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards, where she presented Clare with the prestigious British Womenswear Designer of the Year award.

The Duchess of Sussex, who was pregnant with her son Prince Archie at the time, looked stunning in a one-shoulder Givenchy gown, which showed off her bump to full effect.

While on stage, Meghan opened up about her very personal connection to fashion, noting 'we have a deep connection to what we wear'.

'Sometimes it's deeply personal, sometimes it's emotional,' she went on, before praising Clare's 'kindness' and the 'values'.

Once on stage, the designer was just as complimentary about the royal, saying: 'This woman is so amazing. I got to know Meghan on such a personal level.

'To have someone like that trust you on such a personal moment in their life... I can't thank you enough because it was the most beautiful moment.'

According to WWD, which broke the news of Clare's departure from Givenchy, her decision to step down came at the end of her initial three-year contract, and follows the debut of her final collection for the brand, which was shown on the runways at Paris Fashion Week, shortly before the Covid-19 outbreak shut down much of Europe.

Clare did not address her reasons for exiting the brand while making a statement about her departure, which was given to WWD, instead saying that her time at Givenchy has been 'one of the highlights' of her career.

'Focusing on a world based on haute couture has been one of the highlights of my professional journey,' Clare, who was born in Birmingham, said.

'I have shared so many incredible moments with the brilliant Givenchy ateliers and design teams: Your exceptional talent and dedication will forever remain in my memories.

'My heartfelt thanks go out to each of the unsung heroes and heroines behind the scenes, for their contribution from product to communications and retail, and every global team member, partner and supplier in between.'

Clare began her career as a stylist for Calvin Klein in New York City, before joining Ralph Lauren.

In 2000, she was hired by Tom Ford for a role at Gucci, where she was responsible for women's ready-to-wear and accessories, a position that she held for four years.

A year later, she moved to Pringle of Scotland, where - her Givenchy bio notes - she 'redefined the House’s style and knitwear heritage', earning the title of Designer of the Year at the Scottish Fashion Awards in 2007.

In 2011, she moved to Paris in order to take on the position of creative director at Chloe, a role that truly helped to define her career, while cementing her status as one of the world's most sought-after designers.

She moved to Givenchy in 2017, and since then she has amassed a legion of celebrity fans, including Ariana Grande.

One year after joining the brand, Clare was chosen by Meghan to design her wedding dress - in what many saw as a rather surprising decision on the part of the Duchess of Sussex.

The designer behind the dress remained a closely-guarded secret until the day of the ceremony, when royal fans around the world were treated to their first glimpse at the beautiful bride - and her stunning silk gown, which left Prince Harry in tears when he first saw his future wife.

An emotional Harry told his bride 'you look amazing' after she wafted down the aisle in the classic silk gown in pure white, with a 15ft veil embroidered with flowers of the Commonwealth.

The bespoke creation is estimated to have cost $250,000, including $97,000 for custom-made fabric and $5,000 for fittings.

The veil was made from silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza, while the look was completed by a Cartier bracelet and earrings and a Queen Mary diamond bandeau tiara, loaned to her by the late Queen.

Last month, it was revealed that Clare would move to Uniqlo after previously collaborating with the brand in September last year to create womenswear project - UNIQLO C.

In addition to running the line, Clare has led the brand's mainline collection from this year's Fall/Winter collection.