A brief encounter at Balenciaga’s show at the Paris Fashion Week turned into a viral moment after Meghan Markle’s awkward embrace with the brand’s new creative director and designer, Pier Paolo Piccioli. The clip shows a regular air kiss that missed its mark, drawing instant commentary on the internet. Moreover, a body language expert, Judi James, claimed that the “cringe” moment stemmed from the designer stepping in too close and misreading cues. Meanwhile, Markle recovered fast and kept the exchange moving.
Body language expert decodes Meghan Markle’s viral interaction with Balenciaga’s Pier Paolo Piccioli
A short clip from the Balenciaga show at the Paris Fashion Week shows Meghan Markle’s awkward embrace with designer Pier Paolo Piccioli. The moment quickly caught attention online. Markle, donning a white outfit and hair pulled into a neat bun, leans in to greet Piccioli. He is seen wearing dark sunglasses and a black leather jacket. After their air kiss turns fiddly, they recover by posing for pictures together and parting with a brief hug.
Body language expert Judi James told The Mirror in an exclusive report: “It was Piccioli who created the ‘cringe’ moment for poor Meghan, getting way too close to greet and speak to her, leading to a lack of reading her non-verbal cues when they air-kissed, leading in turn to a nose-clunk when they each aimed in the wrong direction.”
She added, “He also kept his shades on, which wouldn’t have helped, and tried to take control of Meghan by turning her to face the cameras. She swiftly regained control herself, putting her arm out to steer him.” Additionally, James noted, “When the photos were over though Piccioli moved in for a close-quarters hug with Meghan.”
Meanwhile, the expert claimed that Markle’s brief moment with Anna Wintour sent a different signal, calling it “a top-drawer fashionista ritual.” She added, “Meghan’s rounded cheeks and her small gasp of fond recognition should have laid any rumors of a spat between the two women to bed for the foreseeable future.” However, she explained, “Everyone in the business knows that a fashionista air-kiss ritual will be used on friend or foe alike.”
In the end, Meghan Markle and the Balenciaga designer’s clumsy embrace at the show was fleeting. They laughed it off, and the moment passed in no time.
Originally reported by Ishika Mishra on RealityTea.
