Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex recently swanned into the Balenciaga show in Paris last week. However, she didn’t break her own bank to get there via News Nation Now.
The brand’s new design head, Pierpaolo Piccioli, claimed Meghan “reached out to him and said she’d love to come” to his show — she didn’t spend any of her money on it.
In the past, designers paid celebrities and big names to sit in their front row, and while that practice has fallen by the wayside, brands will shell out big money to get the celebs and their entourage to their shows, put them up, house, feed, and dress them.
Uber stylist Phillip Bloch, who has worked with Halle Berry, Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez, and Nicole Kidman in the past, told me, “I would imagine everything was paid for — travel, hotel, clothing, cars, and of course security in madame’s case because we know it’s such a big issue with her.”
Bloch has estimated Meghan’s all-white couture ensemble that she wore to the actual show, and the all black ensemble she wore a day later — cost at least $50,000 each.
“Gifted, of course — she does like her freebies,” Bloch said, and continued that she was likely flown private as “if she had flown public or first class, it would have let the secret out — someone would have seen her and said something.”
An international private jet from Los Angeles to Paris costs a minimum $100,000 one way, adding up to $200,000 for her trip.
Meghan is said to have stayed at the Hotel Plaza Athens — where rooms start at $2500 a night. She also brought her bestie, makeup artist Daniel Martin — who also would have acquired a room — and whose day rates start at $2,000.
”The makeup, hair all gets included,” Bloch said. “And of course, the cost of flowers sent to the room and the presents the designer would have left in her room.”
“It was a genius move for Balenciaga — to help them rebrand after that whole pedophilia fiasco.”
In November 2022, Balenciaga released two advertising campaigns that sparked major public backlash for featuring disturbing images— showing young children holding teddy bears dressed in bondage gear ike leather harnesses and straps, amidst props like empty wine glasses and champagne flutes. The campaign sparked outrage online, with hashtags like #BoycottBalenciaga trending. The brand’s creative director at the time, Demna Gvasalia, eventually stepped down earlier this year.
The Paris outing was also a good idea for Meghan, Bloch told me. “She needs good, good press!” He laughed. “She hasn’t played the fashion card (in years). It’s an easy way to get attention, and she has the credentials to bolster it to be an epic event. And it was.”
It’s also smart for Meghan, who is leaning now towards becoming an influencer — promising shorter, online how-to videos (as opposed to longer shows with Netflix — which have bombed)… and to eventually get paid to be the face of a brand.
