Last week, I noted that the Duchess of Sussex’s appearance at Paris Fashion Week on October 4th would become a weeks-long story as Abandonment Issues Isle screamed and cried about it. I compared it to the weeks-long trauma of “Meghan looked hot in a red dress” last year. God, they were absolutely furious about that red dress! But I think Meghan’s PFW appearance was even bigger. It was global, she got international headlines, and it was THE celebrity appearance of Paris Fashion Week. What I didn’t predict is that Meghan turning up for Balenciaga would upset some of the bitter bitches who work with other labels and other celebrities. Well, stylist Phillip Bloch had some thoughts about Meghan, Balenciaga and whether an appearance fee was involved.
Jaws dropped when Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, swanned into the Balenciaga show in Paris last week. But don’t worry — she didn’t break her own bank to get there. While the brand’s new design head, Pierpaolo Piccioli, claimed Meghan “reached out to him and said she’d love to come” to his show — she didn’t spend any of her money on it.
In the past, designers used to pay celebrities and big names to sit in their front row — and while that practice has fallen by the wayside, brands will shell out big money to get the celebs and their entourage to their shows, put them up, house, feed and dress them.
Uber stylist Phillip Bloch, who has worked with Halle Berry, Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Kidman in the past, told me, “I would imagine everything was paid for — travel, hotel, clothing, cars, and of course security in madame’s case because we know it’s such a big issue with her.”
Bloch estimates Meghan’s all-white couture ensemble that she wore to the actual show — and the all black ensemble she wore a day later — cost at least $50,000 each. “Gifted, of course — she does like her freebies,” Bloch said, and continued that she was likely flown private as “if she had flown public or first class, it would have let the secret out — someone would have seen her and said something. It was a genius move for Balenciaga — to help them rebrand after that whole pedophilia fiasco.”
In November 2022, Balenciaga released two advertising campaigns that sparked major public backlash for featuring disturbing images— showing young children holding teddy bears dressed in bondage / BDSM gear like leather harnesses and straps, amidst props like empty wine glasses and champagne flutes. The campaign sparked outrage online, with hashtags like #BoycottBalenciaga trending. The brand’s creative director at the time, Demna Gvasalia, eventually stepped down earlier this year.
The Paris outing was also a good idea for Meghan, Bloch told me. “She needs good, good press!” He laughed. “She hasn’t played the fashion card (in years). It’s an easy way to get attention, and she has the credentials to bolster it to be an epic event. And it was.”
It’s also smart for Meghan, who is leaning now towards becoming an influencer — promising shorter, online how-to videos (as opposed to longer shows with Netflix — which have bombed)… and to eventually get paid to be the face of a brand.
”That will keep the lights on in Montecito,” Bloch laughed.
It’s going to turn out that Bloch wanted to style Meghan or work with Balenciaga and he got turned down, right? Either that or he was working with someone who attended the Balenciaga show and that celebrity got zero attention because Meghan was there. That’s the vibe I’m getting from his interview – utter bitterness. Anyway, I thought it was obvious that Balenciaga picked up the tab for Meghan and her team for the appearance. That’s literally why Jill Smoller (Meghan’s agent and Serena Williams’ agent) was along for the ride. It was BUSINESS! But I also think Meghan got an appearance fee. The problem for Bloch and all of the other stylists and publicists is now all of the other major labels are going to want Meghan at THEIR shows too. They want those headlines, they want that heat and attention.
Incidentally, here’s what Pierpaolo Piccioli actually said about Meghan to New York Magazine:
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
