Meghan Markle’s bridal look: the industry speaks out

Meghan Markle’s bridal hair look was designed by US hairstylist Serge Normant. Serge told reporters at Kensington Palace the style was a messy bun, but messy in a controlled way.

 He said he communicated with Meghan ahead of the day and decided to create an easy style for the royal wedding. He added that it wasn’t about reinventing the wheel.

“For me, I always think of icons I love, like Audrey Hepburn, all of those styles that I still look at a picture of today and still look timeless.”

Here’s what fellow members of the industry had to say about Meghan’s royal wedding style:  

Gareth Vance, Vidal Sassoon’s creative director 
“Modern hair for a modern princess. The look was understated with soft perimeter detailing. It's great to see a rejection of stiff over-styled hair for a look that works effortlessly with the simplicity of the neckline of the dress.

Charlotte Mensah, Hair Lounge’s salon owner and artistic director   “The hair was beautiful. It really showcases her beauty. The look was unstructured, but in an elegant way. It was lovely, organic and very classic.”

Mark Wooley, Electric Hairdressing’s founder “On any wedding day, you want to ensure you feel relaxed and yourself – Megan often wears her hair up so it’s a look she’ll feel comfortable with. The veil and tiara work perfectly with a hair up and it’s a traditional feel that works perfectly with her beautiful wedding dress.  The neckline is scalloped just showing the collar bone area and the hair up compliments the dress shape and her own face shape. I love the softness of the hair up, it’s been styled with a centre parting, hair tucked behind her ears and the Queen Mary tiara sits perfectly on the top. The back of the hair is beautifully styled with lots of curls intricately pinned up. It’s a beautifully executed bridal hair up that is very fitting for the occasion.”

Adam Reed, ghd’s global ambassador
“The whole look is ultra-feminine, silky and soft to contrast with her structured and fitted dress. I think that it was beautiful and simple - perfect in its imperfection. A totally modern and beautiful look! The key to re-creating this look it to prep hair to create the ultimate base with maximum shine and gloss.”

Sally Brooks, Brooks & Brooks Hairdressing
“I thought Meghan’s hair really suited her and wasn’t drastically different to styles she wears everyday. It was simplicity at its best, not too formal and it was nice to see her wearing the hair, rather than the hair wearing her. It was a perfect style for a perfect day.”

Suzie McGill, international artistic director, Rainbow Room International
"For the royal wedding reception Meghan stuck with her usual done undone chignon hairstyle but took it from day time to night time by having it pulled back slightly tighter and higher. She also kept her middle parting and loose tendrils to frame her face but had these styled into waves for a more glamorous look that looked perfect paired with her high neckline dress. Meghan's second look was simply stunning and it was great to see that she stayed true to herself and went with her signature messy bun style, which although looks super chic and elegant, is an easy look for clients to create at home with the help of some hair pins."

Cos Sakkas, Toni & Guy's artistic director 
"Natural texture is a trend that is here to stay. It was all over the SS18 catwalks and has transcended onto the high street. A bride needs to feel comfortable on her big day – gone are the days when bridal hair was scraped into place and didn’t move. Modern brides want a more relaxed, unstructured style that isn’t too formal or restrictive. This messy bun partnered perfectly with the veil and tiara. She looked beautiful.”

Junior Green, Junior Green London
“When Kate Middleton got married there was a move towards more relaxed, less structured styles. Now, Meghan cements the trend for wearable, touchable hair. Gone are the days when hair didn’t move – now loose tendrils and celebrating natural texture are the order of the day.  A smoothing treatment is a prerequisite for all brides, especially those with curly and mixed-heritage hair, for a more controlled finish.”

Sarah Bowron, director at Aesthetics
"Meghan Markle turned the traditional wedding chignon on its head by sporting a centre-parting and going for a more relaxed, loose feel for an elegant but modern look. The curled, soft strands framed her face adding an air of fresh romance."