Meghan Markle’s recent return to the spotlight at Balenciaga’s Paris Fashion Week show turned from glamorous to humiliating, as the Duchess of Sussex faced yet another wave of backlash and criticism. After walking the front row in a striking white ensemble, Meghan quickly became the center of controversy — and this wasn’t her first public fashion fiasco with the luxury brand.
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Despite the elegance of Meghan’s all-white look, which included a flowing cape, tailored trousers, and sleek black accessories, social media exploded with harsh comments. Critics lambasted her choice to attend a Balenciaga event, reminding the world of the brand’s disastrous 2022 campaign that featured children dressed in bondage-inspired outfits. For a public figure who champions family values and child safety through her Archewell Foundation, the association with a brand mired in scandal seemed to many a glaring contradiction.
Adding fuel to the fire was a viral video Meghan shared from inside a limousine as it passed the infamous Paris tunnel where Princess Diana tragically died. Many viewers viewed the clip as tone-deaf and insensitive, given Meghan’s connection to the late Princess and the trauma symbolized by the location.
The backlash wasn’t limited to online trolls. Several fashion insiders questioned Meghan’s judgment and accused her of “inviting herself” to the show without a formal invitation. Balenciaga’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli later confirmed Meghan reached out to attend, calling her presence a “beautiful surprise,” but this did little to quell the storm.
Public reactions ranged from scorn for Meghan’s fashion choices—some joked she looked “wrapped in sheets” or “covered in Vaseline”—to strong disapproval of the brand’s problematic history and Meghan’s apparent disregard for it. Some fans expressed disappointment, saying her actions conflicted with her leadership on critical social issues.
This latest blow adds to Meghan’s ongoing struggle to balance her royal legacy with her new celebrity status, exposing vulnerabilities in her public relations strategy. Whether this Paris Fashion Week event will be remembered as a bold fashion moment or a catastrophic misstep remains to be seen — but for now, Meghan Markle faces the ignominy of yet another high-profile fashion debacle.
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