Meghan Markle is a doll in her own rights, buy after the Royal Wedding Niles company couldn’t help but make it official.
A team of about 25 people gathered inside the Ashton-Drake Galleries in Niles to produce a tangible memory of the Royal wedding.
The collectible-doll company had been prepping for the historical moment for months.
As some donned tiaras of their own, the doll designers, artisans and photographers gathered around television screens and closely studied Markle’s hair, makeup, accessories, flowers and the design of her gown, tiara and veil.
They quickly began designing and stitching a smaller version with variations on Markle’s bright white silk boatneck gown with three-quarter sleeves and an embroidered silk tulle veil.
According to Chicago Tribune,it took about 6 hours. Seamstress Yermen Romero stitched the gown and dressed Markle’s 16-inch bisque porcelain likeness. The look was completed with faux diamond earrings and a miniature silver bracelet replicating the Cartier jewelry Markle wore as she walked down the aisle. The doll holds a tiny replica of her bouquet of forget-me-not flowers, which were personally selected by Prince Harry.
Later Saturday, the perfectly detailed doll named Meghan, Royal Romance Bride, was revealed inside the gallery to a quiet chorus of “oohs and aahs.”
Prince Harry’s doll took the longest. Standing 17-inches tall is a doll named Harry, Royal Romance Groom.
The designers, had already painstakingly crafted two dolls — with and without a beard — and researched and created four complete outfits for him, the details of the Blues and Royals frockcoat uniform he wore threw them off, said Veveca Rising, creative director at the company.
Doll designer Jordan Wrobleske said the planning, sketching and sculpting of Markle’s doll and what she might wear on her wedding day began in early December shortly after their engagement. Designers have been gathering fabrics and studying her style. They were pleasantly surprised when they saw the bride’s Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy dress was simple and form-fitting, similar to what they had planned for.
Kathy Wilhelm, senior marketing manager for the gallery, described the American-born actress and Northwestern graduate as “modern, elegant and poised.”
