Meghan Markle’s recent appearance at Paris Fashion Week was not the result of a formal invitation, it was her own idea, designer Pierpaolo Piccioli has revealed.
According to reports, the Duchess of Sussex reached out to the Balenciaga creative director, asking if she could attend his show in what marked her first trip to Europe in more than two years.
“We met some years ago, and we’ve been texting ever since,” Piccioli said in an interview.
“She reached out and said she’d love to come to the show.” The designer added that Meghan’s attendance was kept a secret to preserve the element of surprise.
“In fashion, real surprises are rare, and this one was beautiful,” he said.
Markle described her appearance in Paris as “the culmination of many years of friendship” with Piccioli.
Her presence at the Balenciaga show quickly drew media attention, fueling talk about her growing ties to the fashion world.
The Duchess has also hinted at a possible move into fashion and beauty through her American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand.
In an interview with Bloomberg earlier this year, she said she was “open to the possibilities of what can happen.”