Last night, Meghan Markle made a surprise appearance at the Children’s Hospital 2024 Los Angeles Gala, which paid tribute to its patients and pediatric workers. “The work that they do is otherworldly,” the Duchess of Sussex said on the red carpet. “From my standpoint as a mother, no one wants to be in a position where you need to go to a place like this, but if you have to, the best place in the world you could go would be Children’s Hospital L.A.” Playing up the formal feel of the event, Markle chose a glamorous red gown by Carolina Herrera—and, it turns out, she wore the design once before, back in 2021.
Herrera first wore the plunging red silk-faille dress to the Intrepid Museum’s Salute To Freedom Gala, which she attended with Prince Harry back in November 2021; That time, the gown came complete with a sweeping train attached at the waist. To give the frock a fresh feel for today, Markle revived it without the train—allowing the long column silhouette and leg slit to shine on its own, accessorized with minimal jewelry and matching red satin sandals.
Of course, this isn’t the first time that Markle has opted to recycle a piece from her own wardrobe for the red carpet: The Duchess has a history of giving her polished pieces a second life (as she should). Earlier this year, for one, she re-wore the yellow Carolina Herrera column gown she wore to announce her pregnancy with Princess Lilibet back in 2021. She has also repeated her go-to Sentaler coats or Stella McCartney and Aritzia dresses—proving that the right investment pieces can be worn again and again. Clearly, this also applies to formalwear; Simply alter the silhouettes slightly, and even a ballgown can feel like an entirely new fashion moment.
Photo: Getty Images
