Fashion style that is fit for royalty
THEY call it the “Meghan effect” – what happens when the former Ms Markle wears something and suddenly everyone wants to buy it – and it’s been in full swing since the royal wedding, according to retailers.
JD Wiliams report that sales of boat neck clothing, similar to the wide neckline of the Duchess of Sussex’s Givenchy bridal gown, shot up by 41 per cent the week after the wedding.
Hoping to capitalise on demand for Meghan’s style, Chi Chi Clothing renamed an existing boat neck gown after the wedding and it paid off.
Chi Chi Clothing director Daniel Najar said: “The Meghan dress was always a popular style but this sold out overnight after the wedding – and not just in white, we sold out in the light pink too. We currently have a waiting list of over 1000 people for the dress.”
And it wasn’t just bridalwear that got a boost.
Najar said: “We’ve increased quantities on our separates that feature the boat/bateau neck style, as we’ve seen an increase of over 50 per cent on these too.”
Meanwhile, consumers are using web searches to find what they want, be it bridal or everyday fashion.
According to Google, searches for boat neck clothing increased by 269 per cent in the week after the wedding, compared to the week before.
As the new duchess on the block, Meghan is following in a long line of royal style icons not least the Queen, who caused a big spike in sales of a longline pink jacket, after she wore one at her 90th birthday.
JD Williams spokeswoman Suzi Burns said of the royals: “Their effect on the shopping habits of customers is immediate.”