All eyes have been on Meghan Markle as she continues her royal tour with Prince Harry, and this week, Irish design was catapulted onto an international stage as she appeared in a full-length, embellished-shouldered gown by Irish designer Don O'Neill.
How beautiful does she look? A testament to how well Irish design can stand tall amongst the rest.
O'Neill, who is based in New York, has a label called Theia, which was also chosen by Oprah Winfrey to wear to the Academy Awards in 2011.
He has now opened up about designing the gown for the Duchess of Sussex, and said that some explicit alteration instructions he received from Meghan's team prior to her wearing it, said it meant they quietly got an indication before the world at large, that she was expecting her first baby.
She wore the gown in Tonga for a private audience with King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u – and the designer said he 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 said in a release.
The Theia team completed the look in just two days and although they got word that Meghan “loved” the piece, there was something important that needed amending.
“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, true to his word, O'Neill said not a peep, and her pregnancy was revealed via a statement from Buckingham Palace, as in keeping with the Royal protocol.
Beyond excited , thrilled and delighted to dress The Duchess of Sussex in @THEIACOUTURE at last nights royal reception in Tonga. OMG !!! #woohooooooo !!! pic.twitter.com/VRGuQ9969A
— Don O’Neill (@DonONeillDesign) October 25, 2018
Asides from his absolutely incredible creations, we imagine that the designers' tactfulness and his ensuring the Duchess' privacy was also rightfully kept will earn him many more high-profile fans - and hopefully, ensure he gets a chance to create more gowns for Meghan in the process.
