Meghan Markle's charity fashion collection

You will no doubt have heard that the September 2019 edition of British Vogue was guest-edited by the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. What you may not have heard is that the Duchess is dropping her very own workwear collection, a move that very much fits with the theme of the edition, 'Forces for Change'. We summarise everything you need to know about the collection: what it will include, how it combines the Duchess' love for fashion and philanthropy, and who it is designed to benefit.

When will Meghan Markle's fashion collection launch?
We don’t know exactly when we’ll be able to get our hands on this much anticipated collection, but it's due before the end of 2019. What we do know, however, is that our purchases will not only add some of the famed 'Markle Sparkle' to our own office staples, they will also help other working women to dress confidently and appropriately.



September 2019 Vogue cover featuring 15 influential women of all ages, occupations, skin colours, gender identities and political positions

What will Meghan Markle's fashion collection look like?
There are no images of the collection as of yet, which only serves to increase our heady anticipation. However, it is known that Meghan Markle has teamed up with John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Jigsaw, and designer Misha Nonoo to create a 'capsule' collection of work clothes. Fashion insiders expect that the line will reflect Meghan's own style, with modern twists on classic cuts.

Many celebrities have their own clothing lines. What makes Meghan Markle's charity collection special?
With this clothing line, Meghan Markle has stitched together her love for fashion with her love for philanthropy. The business will follow a one-to-one model: for every item of clothing sold, the company will donate one item to the charity Smart Works. Other brands that have attempted this model have faced criticism if the products they were donating were not deemed appropriate for the people to whom they were being donated. Meghan's initiative avoids this dilemma as her workwear is being donated to a relevant cause, Smart Works.

What is Smart Works? Who do they benefit?
Smart Works helps unemployed women to enter, or re-enter, the workforce. They provide interview coaching as well as job-appropriate clothing. Meghan has paid a number of visits to the charity's headquarters over the past year, helping women to choose outfits and sitting in on interview workshops. A famously vocal feminist - when she was 11, Markle wrote to Proctor and Gamble criticizing an advert that implied that women belong in the kitchen - the Duchess of Sussex was impressed by the practical way in which Smart Works promotes female empowerment. Markle is a patron of the charity.



Clothes donated to Smart Works are sometimes not suitable for their wearer's needs. The injection of Meghan Markle's classic office pieces will help women to assemble more appropriate outfits.

Will it really make a difference?
Meghan Markle has astonishing influence on the fashion markets. After she was seen wearing Outland jeans in Australia, the brand saw a 2000% increase in global online sales. This is just one example of 'The Meghan Effect': after a public appearance, online searches for the items she was seen wearing increase by 216% (according to global fashion search engine Lyst). Widely regarded as a trend-setting figure, her clothing line is expected to be extremely popular - and the more sales made, the more clothing will be donated to Smart Works.