Montreal designer creates ‘elegant’ look for Jessica Mulroney at royal wedding

MONTREAL – A Montreal designer says seeing her custom dress on tastemaker Jessica Mulroney at the royal wedding was a wonderful experience, and it's giving her brand an international boost.

Antoinette Di Carlo, the designer and creative director at Di Carlo Couture, said she watched the ceremony from her home in Montreal Saturday morning before heading to work to fit other clients.

"It was a great feeling, that's for sure. Designing and fitting the dress is one thing, but to see it on camera is kind of a reality, so it's a wonderful feeling," Di Carlo said.

Di Carlo said she and Mulroney connected via social media and had begun developing a relationship, after Mulroney asked her to design a high-waisted, wide-leg, silk and crepe pantsuit for her last fall.

"She had loved the fit of the outfit I had originally worked on with her and she wanted to develop a beautiful, classy, elegant look for the upcoming wedding," Di Carlo said.

The result was a royal blue, custom tea-length fit and flare dress with cap sleeve button details. The gown featured an integrated waist and v-back in a striking royal blue colourway.

Di Carlo said she's happy Mulroney chose to work with a designer from her hometown of Montreal, and she has already received international attention for the dress on social media.

Mulroney, who is married to TV personality Ben Mulroney, escorted 10 young pageboys and bridesmaids — including their three children — into St. George's Chapel for the ceremony.

It's been widely reported that Jessica Mulroney became good friends with the American-born Meghan Markle when the actress moved to Toronto to shoot her seven-season run of the Bravo/USA Network series "Suits."

British royalty expert Katie Nicholl told The Canadian Press the two bonded over a shared love of fitness, travel and fashion.

"Jessica has been very important to Meghan; she's been very important behind the scenes in the run-up to the royal wedding," Nicholl said in an interview published earlier this month.

Raised in Montreal, Mulroney has also worked as a bridal consultant and fashion expert. Earlier this month, Hudson's Bay Co. announced she is taking on a bigger role at the Canadian retailer, acting as spokeswoman for the new brand CORE Life.

Mulroney first joined Hudson's Bay Co. in 2014 to help launch the Toronto outpost of the New York-based designer boutique Kleinfeld Bridal. She's also a contributing editor at Wedding Vacations magazine from the travel company Sunwing, and regularly outlines style trends on the daytime talk show "Cityline."

The copious amounts of media coverage lavished on royal nuptials — and wedding fashion — is not just a recent fascination.

Weeks before the 1947 wedding of Queen Elizabeth II, royal wedding gown guesses went all the way to Australia, with newspaper The Age reporting she was going to wear a "simple dress" but that the design was being kept secret.