After the departure of Ricardo Tisci, Clare Waight Keller became the first female to take on the post of Creative Director at the storied fashion house of Givenchy.

The British designer was taught to knit by her mother at the tender age of 5

If the clean, tailored design of Meghan Markle’s wedding dress was an indication, it was that Clare’s skills in tailoring were honed through years of training under another designer who has also mastered the art of sharp tailoring: Tom Ford. She was hired by him to design at Gucci, and she left in 2005 to take on the role of creative director at Pringle of Scotland.

Just before she arrived at Givenchy, Clare steered the creative direction of Parisian fashion label Chloé, where she showcased a modern take on the brand’s signature bohemian identity.

Style heavyweights such as Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore and Fan Bingbing have all been photographed wearing Clare’s beautiful designs.

Given that Meghan has always been a firm believer in women empowering women, there are speculations that her choice to work with Clare Waight Keller wasn’t purely coincidental. When it was announced that Clare became the first woman to lead an important fashion house that had its roots in womenswear, she joined a growing number of women rising up to helm internationally-renowned luxury labels.

While the actual word on whether this swayed Meghan’s final choice, it’s no doubt that it certainly played a part in the decision-making process.