CULTURE

Why Meghan Markle Won’t Wear Dresses by Her Friend Victoria Beckham

It's why the Duchess of Sussex won't wear dresses by her friend.

by Marissa G. Muller

The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Visit New Zealand - Day 4
Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage

Meghan Markle and Victoria Beckham have become quick friends since the actress left America behind for a royal life with Prince Harry in England. For close observers of Markle’s wardrobe—of which there are many—it might be surprising that Markle has yet to wear an ensemble by her designer pal. Apparently, though, there is a reason for that.

The Duchess of Sussex revealed that she has one issue with Beckham’s designs, one she had well before she became a royal. In a recently surfaced interview from 2017 with Glamour UK, Markle said that when picking out her outfits, she had to make sure they work for someone who doesn’t have a “long torso.” “What I’m starting to learn is, even though things look amazing on the hanger, it doesn’t mean they’re going to look amazing on me,” she said, adding, “For example, I love Victoria Beckham dresses, but I don’t have the long torso to support that silhouette.” In other words, it’s nothing personal.

In the same interview, Markle also broke down her approach to getting dressed, saying, “On a normal day, I love a shift dress with flats and a little cropped jacket. That for me is my travel wear if it’s not too chilly—you can throw a scarf over your legs if it’s cold on the plane! On the show [Suits], I wear things that are so body conscious, so it’s nice to have things that are a little easier to breathe in. As I’ve gotten older, I like longer dresses, but my legs come up to my ears and I’m not very tall, so when I wear a short skirt I’ve got to be really conscious.”

The only surprising aspect of any of this is that Beckham has yet to make a custom look for Markle. Though she has been consulting for the duchess in a fashion capacity, as a source revealed to Vanity Fair. “They get along well and have been in touch recently,” the source said. “Meghan really likes Victoria’s style and was keen to pick her brains about pulling together a working wardrobe. She loves Victoria’s elegant but smart dresses, so expect her to wear one very soon.” Now that may actually happen—when Beckham inevitably catches wind of Markle’s one critique.