For many months, there had been talk within the fashion landscape about Meghan’s plans for her Smart Works Capsule Collection; which designers would she pick? How affordable would the collection be? However, there have been no questions as to whether people would buy it. Meghan is considered so stylish that whenever she wears anything, it will guarantee to be sold out by the next day and then resold on eBay for extortionate prices. Her Smart Works collection is no exception and has already been a success with the public and the Smart Works charity.
One of the most positive points about the collection is that it predominantly uses reasonably priced high-street pieces with the cheapest items being £19.50 Crepe Shift Dresses from British brand M&S. It also features a leather tote bag from John Lewis and Partners and a smart black two-piece suit from Jigsaw. This is a positive PR move for Meghan who has frequently come under public criticism for her expenditure on expensive designers like Givenchy and Dior. Her £30,000 wardrobe bill for a two-day tour of Ireland last year received media scrutiny claiming that Meghan was out of touch with the public and unrelatable. By focusing on key British high-street brands, Meghan is striving to establish herself in the British fashion sphere which will undoubtedly help her public perception.
Another touching aspect of the collection is that Meghan featured her friend, and rumoured matchmaker, Misha Nonoo’s classic white shirt. Significantly, Meghan Markle wore Misha Nonoo’s ‘Husband Shirt’ during her first public appearance with Prince Harry, and her personal promotion of the brand only adds to the recommendation of the capsule collection.
Moreover, this collection is incredibly versatile. The pieces not only reflect the Smart Works ethos and are work appropriate, but the clothes can be mixed and matched together demonstrating that they form the fundamental basics of a working woman’s wardrobe.
However, the most significant aspect of this collection is the level of success that it has cultivated for the charity. Many of the pieces sold out instantly, and thus the charity’s initiative with this collection of for every piece bought, the same piece would be donated to the Smart Works Charity was a triumph. Meghan Markle reported on Instagram that eight days after the campaign started that the buy one, donate one initiative meant that there were enough clothes for women seeking help at the charity for a whole year. If that’s not success, I don’t know what is.