Paris Fashion Week is over, but one of the noises won’t be hushed. Meghan Markle was in the City of Lights for the Balenciaga show, but who did she really impress?

Meghan Markle (centre) at the front row of the recent Balenciaga show, flanked by her friend Marcus Anderson of Soho House and Tracee Ellis Ross. Screen shot: royalrendevoustv/YouTube

She is a duchess who is a newsmaker wherever she goes. Perhaps that was why Balenciaga secured Meghan Markle’s presence for the recent Paris debut of new creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. Unsurprisingly, she wore Balenciaga, but brought nothing to the outfit, looking totally bleached of personality, Described as “custom” (which is not the same as couture), the outfit, totally off-white, comprised of an button-down shirt, wide-leg trousers (total auntie wear), and a sort-of-cape, which she draped protectively over her body. It was modest fashion at its finest. But why, we wondered, would a woman, who believes she has enough style to peddle it, attend her first fashion show in Paris so shrouded?.

It was rather chilly in Paris that night. Accuweather reported that it was 16°C that evening and drizzling, but, as we observed, she was out into the sheltered open for barely one minute, to get into a car. It looked to us that she wasn’t dressing for the weather; but for the spectacle. Indeed, in all the reels we saw, she seemed to be playing Jesus, resurrected. The flowing white cape, the solemn expression, the slow walk into the venue—the turnout had a kind of messianic aura about it. To us, it wasn’t just about fashion—it was about reclaiming the narrative (but which one is not evident since she has many). If her unexpected appearance was a symbolic resurrection, then Love, Meghan was the tomb she stepped out of.

But why would a woman who believes she has enough style to peddle it attend her first fashion show in Paris so shrouded?

Ms Markle offered a second look that evening—at the Balenciaga afterparty: a sleeveless black gown with a draped neckline, and shoulder detailing that resembled yet another cape. The look felt like a complete emotional reversal. If the white ensemble was her resurrection, the black was her requiem. She looked to us a stark, somber, and almost penitential blot. Both outfits allowed her to show off her emotional range—from “Here I am, reborn” to “Let me mourn what was”. Fashion is language, and Meghan’s wardrobe that night spoke in metaphors. Fashion is also storytelling, and her looks told a story no one could follow, or wanted to. It was high concept with no charisma. We now know that Anna Wintour is capable of mendacity when she told the star-guest, “you look amazing”. If social media is an accurate gauge, Ms Markle brought disesteem to Balenciaga, rather than prestige.

In Asia, we have a name for her special skill: 帽衣变脸 (maoyi bianlian, literally ‘hat, dress, face change’), associated with 川剧 (chuanju), the Sichuan Opera Is is the breathtaking illusion that sees costume switch in a single instant. Ms Markle’s quick-change flair might have been exactly what Balenciaga ordered. Today’s luxury fashion houses do not necessarily chase universal admiration; they chase noise, and one of their guests left behind quite a din. In our attention economy, whether Ms Markle’s outfit was praised or mocked is largely irrelevant. The only metric that truly counts is the volume of conversation, the sheer data of millions of people having an opinion about an item—or two—of Balenciaga clothing. It is high risk that brings high reward.

From white to black. Photo: britishvogueInstagram

This cynical dynamic ensured Balenciaga’s victory, regardless of the fashion critique. The brand has, of course, mastered the art of courting controversy, from viral beat-up sneakers to bandaging women like they did with their bags to a roll of sticky tape as bangle. But the most agregious was the ad featuring children carry teddy bears in bondage gear. It is not clear if Balenciaga has totally rehabilitated from the reputational damage. It, therefore, seemed odd that Ms Markle, who is obsessed with protecting her children, wished to be aligned with the brand. Balenciaga understood that a connection to one of the world’s most polarizing figures guarantees a digital firestorm. They saved on a lighter when they had a duchess.

Ms Markle’s spokesperson gleefully issued a statement: “Over the years, the duchess has worn a number of designs by Pierpaolo. They have worked closely together, collaborating on designs for key moments on the world stage. She’s long admired his craftsmanship and modern elegance, and tonight was no different. This evening reflects the culmination of many years of artistry and friendship, reflected in her support for his new creative chapter at Balenciaga.” This is PR balm, designed to smooth over a moment that was anything, but elegant. It’s full of lofty abstractions—“artistry,” “friendship,” “key moments on the world stage” and the most curious of all, “worked closely together”. There’s no public record of her collaborating with Pierpaolo Piccioli in any meaningful design capacity. Sure, she’s worn Valentino before, but worn is not “worked”. The statement dodged the real question: why was Meghan Markle there?