It was the coat seen ’round the world—the chic winter white wrap coat that Suits actress Meghan Markle wore for her engagement photocall with Prince Harry was from a small Canadian company called LINE The Label and sold out within minutes. Call it the Meghan Markle effect. Just as Kate Middleton did as soon as she became engaged to Prince William just over seven years ago, Markle is becoming a major player in the fashion world, with all eyes on her and what she is wearing. Lyst, the fashion search engine, has ranked her fourth most powerful celebrity influencer, outranking even future sister-in-law Middleton, who came in fifth.
And unlike with the Kardashians or other social influencers, interest stems from all over the world. Everyone loves the fairytale idea of a commoner marrying into the royal family, and Markle, being a free-spirted Los Angles girl with divorced parents who’s been divorced herself, is much more relatable than Middleton, who is from a wealthy British family. Markle’s the girl next door, and we can all share in her experience if we wear what she is wearing.
So fashion experts expect Markle’s clothing choices to continue to sell out instantly, as the dress she wore for her televised engagement interview and another coat she wore to a royal engagement not long after did. Her style is rather minimalist and wearable, with nothing too outlandish or expensive, at least so far, which makes her choices that much more universally appealing.
Fashionistas and royal watchers alike are spellbound, and we at The Met will be watching Markle too, as this soon-to-be-Dutchess is a definitely a trendsetter.
