Meghan Markle already has a pretty impressive résumé. Before she became the Duchess of Sussex, she proved she could be both an actress and an activist. She was also a lifestyle blogger with her own site, The Tig. Now she's putting her interest in fashion to good use. Meghan recently served as guest editor for the September issue of British Vogue. She's the first guest editor in the magazine's 103-year history. In the issue, Meghan revealed yet another project she has in the works — a women's workwear capsule collection that will benefit charity.
The Suits alum will partner with designer Misha Nonoo, department stores Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, and clothing brand Jigsaw. The collection is due out in September. The capsule collection will benefit Smart Works, a charity that helps women secure employment. Meghan is the royal patron of the charity. She's excited for this endeavor, which will see a piece from the collection donated to Smart Works for every piece purchased.
Meghan Markle has gotten plenty of attention when it comes to her incredible fashion sense. From her lifestyle blog in her pre-Harry days to the controversy around her wardrobe following the royal wedding, she has a distinct style that draws attention.
Meghan's sense of style may be one of the reasons why she was chosen to be a guest editor at British Vogue for its September issue. She's the only guest editor the magazine has had in its 103-year history.
The theme of the issue is "Forces for Change," and it features articles by Brené Brown and Jameela Jamil. It also features a one-on-one conversation between Meghan and Michelle Obama, as well as an interview between Prince Harry and Dr. Jane Goodall.
In the issue, Meghan also discusses another project that she's working on. She's teaming up with designer Misha Nonoo, department stores Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, and clothing brand Jigsaw on a women's workwear capsule collection.
"When you walk into a Smart Works space you’re met with racks of clothing and an array of bags and shoes," Meghan wrote, according to People. "Sometimes, however, it can be a potpourri of mismatched sizes and colors, not always the right stylistic choices or range of sizes."
Meghan sought out some partners to come up with a solution to that problem. "To help with this, I asked Marks & Spencer, John Lewis & Partners, Jigsaw and my friends, the designer [Misha] Nonoo, if they were willing to design a capsule collection of more classic options for a workwear wardrobe," she explained.
She also added: "Taking the idea further, many of the brands agreed to use the one-for-one model: for each item purchased by a customer, one is donated to the charity. Not only does this allow us to be part of each other’s story, it reminds us we are in it together."
Misha and Meghan have been close friends for some time now. She was a regular fixture on Meghan's now-deleted Instagram. She was a guest at both the royal wedding and Meghan's New York City baby shower.
Smart Works helps women from the interview process through their first month of employment. They are provided with interview prep and an outfit. They receive five additional pieces of workwear once they land the job.
"The reason why I was drawn to Smart Works is that it reframed the idea of charity as community. … It’s a network of women supporting and empowering other women in their professional pursuits," Meghan explained.
Meghan has paid a few visits to the charity, which she became a royal patron of in January. During a visit earlier this year, she helped style a client for an interview. The outfit could've come from the duchess's own closet with the way she put it together.
During that visit, Meghan spoke about what the charity meant to her and why she was compelled to be a part of it. "It’s a community that I’m so drawn to about it here. It’s not just donating your clothes and seeing where they land, but really being part of each other’s success stories as women," she explained, according to People. "If that’s in the tools that you give or the interview prep that’s happening, every piece of it."
It's great to see Meghan leveraging her influence to try to come up with creative solutions for the problems some of the charities she supports face. Her unique way of taking on challenges in ways that are impactful is truly admirable.
We can't wait to see what the pieces from this line look like! We can't help but wonder whether her old Suits wardrobe will serve as a major inspiration for the collection. What's even better is imagining how many women's lives will be impacted by this initiative.
