Meghan Markle's wedding dress: All the designers in the running

Who will design the wedding dress of the year?

(Rex Features)

It’s the gown designers everywhere would’ve been clambering over their sewing machines to design, but who has been granted the sought-after honour of creating Meghan Markle’s wedding dress for her impending nuptials to Prince Harry?

While reports circulated earlier this year that a designer had finally been elected, rumours within the fashion industry are rife, as it’s likely that ‘the chosen one’ will remain shrouded in secrecy until all is revealed on the day itself.

So, who is in the running to design what will no doubt be the sartorial coup of the year?

Initial bets were placed on Australian design duo Ralph and Russo, given that Markle wore one of their decadent sheer gowns for her official engagement portraits.

The opulent couturiers are a strong contender given their inherently regal aesthetic, with almost every collection awash with froth-tastic, princess-puff gowns that are most certainly worthy of a royal wedding.

Will Markle opt for another Ralph and Russo gown? (Rex Features)

Were Markle to stay true to her US roots, she’d probably be inclined to opt for a designer renowned for their celebrity bridal gowns, such as Oscar de la Renta, who is responsible for the wedding dresses of Amal Clooney, Kate Bosworth and Allison Williams.

However, the majority of sartorial speculations thus far have been on British design houses, with Emilia Wickstead, Stella McCartney, Jenny Packham and Alexander McQueen all having been deemed worthy contenders given their pre-existing ties to the royal family.

The Duchess of Cambridge is regularly seen out and about in designs by Wickstead and Packham and lest we forget the she said ‘I do’ to Prince William in a stunning lace gown designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.

Plus, Markle has been seen wearing McCartney's designs on countless occasions, the most recent one being the navy blue cape dress she donned for the Queen's 92nd birthday celebrations.

In light of the actress' onscreen wedding in the season finale of Suits, which aired on Tuesday evening in the US, some fans are speculating the Markle could choose to wear a similar gown to the decadent a-line dress donned by her character, Rachel Zane, which was made by celebrity bridal designer Anne Barge.

That being said, when it comes to the royal wedding sartorial gambling table, there’s one name on whom almost every savvy fashionista is now placing their bets: Erdem.

Headed up by Canadian-born designer, Erdem Moralıoğlu, speculations have soared in the last few days as it was revealed on Tuesday that the London-based brand will be bringing its PR in-house and, according to Diary Directory, they have also hired a new PR manager.

Princess Eugenie donned trademark Erdem florals for her official engagement pictures with husband-to-be Jack Brooksbank. (Rex Features)

Such measures could well have been made in the run up to the royal wedding, which would no doubt become a publicity landmark for the label had they been chosen to design Markle’s gown.

Like its British competitors, Erdem boasts substantial royal ties, with everyone from Pippa Middleton to Princess Eugenie and the Duchess of Cambridge donning designs from the label, whose clothes are famed for their feminine floral patterns and flattering silhouettes.

The Duchess of Cambridge has a long history of donning Erdem designs, pictured sporting the label here in July 2017. (Rex Features)

Erdem could also be a likely choice in light of Moralıoğlu’s Canadian roots, given that Markle lived in Toronto for several years prior to meeting Prince Harry when she was filming for US legal drama Suits.

So, will Erdem take the highly-coveted design role of the year?

Or will Markle surprise us all by walking down the aisle in a gown made by a young and fairly unknown label?

Watch this space.

This article has been updated. It was originally published in April 2018