Why Meghan Markle Attended the Balenciaga Show: Connection Explained

Meghan Markle’s surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week had some royal watchers raising their eyebrows — but the Duchess of Sussex was just there to show some love for a friend.

Meghan, 44, attended the Balenciaga show in Paris on Saturday, October 4, in support of Pierpaolo Piccioli. The 58-year-old designer was named the fashion house’s new creative director this past May.

Meghan attended “in support of” Piccioli, a spokesperson for the duchess told Us Weekly in a statement. “This marks her first time back to the shows in over a decade.”

The statement noted that Meghan “has worn a number of designs” by Piccioli over the years.

“They have worked closely together collaborating on design for key moments on the world stage. She has long admired his craftsmanship and modern elegance, and tonight was no different,” the statement continued. “This evening reflects the culmination of many years of artistry and friendship, reflected in her support for his new creative chapter at Balenciaga.”

Meghan wore a white pantsuit with a matching cape and slicked-back bun for the event on Saturday. A video obtained by The Daily Mail also showed Meghan greeting Piccioli backstage after the show. That same evening, Meghan swapped out her pantsuit for a black gown.

She also took to Instagram and showed off some video footage from her quick trip to Paris.

“About last night,” she captioned the clip. “Thank you @pppiccioli and @balenciaga.”

Meghan noted that she’s “missed” Paris and thanked everyone for their “love.”

Prior to his new role at Balenciaga, Piccioli held the role of creative director at Valentino from 2008 to 2024.

“This is a new moment for fashion, and you can change the rules only from the inside. I think we can deliver a new image of fashion that is about assertiveness, humanity and intelligence, which is not granted very often,” Piccioli told Vogue in May about his new role. “Balenciaga already exists in a community. I want to embrace that community and the spirit of Balenciaga, to make my own chapter in the same story.”

Meghan’s fashion has made headlines over the years, especially when she and husband Prince Harry were senior working royals. Ever since she stepped back from the role in 2020, Meghan has been working to find her own personal style.

“Times where I know there is a global spotlight, and attention will be given to each detail of what I may or may not be wearing, then I support designers that I have really great friendships with,” Meghan explained during an August 2024 interview with The New York Times.

She explained the importance of highlighting smaller brands “that haven’t gotten the attention that they should be getting.” This is how she uses her platform for good.

“That’s one of the most powerful things that I’m able to do, and that’s simply wearing, like, an earring,” she explained. “I spend a lot of time just Googling, looking for brands. When people are online looking for things or reading things, I’m trying to find great new designers, especially in different territories.”