Markle’s new fashion line affordable and stylish
STYLE SPEAK: All pieces cost less than $70
Meghan Markle isn’t just another celebrity releasing a fashion collection.
While she’s undoubtedly a star and is indeed releasing a clothing collection, the Suits actor is a bona fide style aficionado — a fact she puts on full display via her personal lifestyle website thetig.com.
Markle is aiming to put her personal style on display with her curated (and highly covetable) capsule collection of pieces for Canadian retailer Reitmans. The release includes five pieces — a vegan leather skirt and pants, a relaxed blouse, cashmere-blend poncho and a mock-turtleneck bodysuit — priced from $54.90 to $69.90.
The collection, slated to land in stores and online at Reitmans.com Thursday (with an online pre-sale for email insiders beginning the day before), reflects Markle’s esthetic, and her ambition to create and collect clothing pieces that will become staples in a wardrobe, and therefore stand the test of time.
Markle chatted with Postmedia about her new collection, her personal style and her favourite piece in advance of the launch:
Q: Looking at the collection and your social media feeds, it’s easy to see you’re stylish. Where did you get your sense of style?
A: Growing up in Los Angeles, obviously it’s a really fashionable city, but it has a really relaxed quality to it as well. So, my fashion education came while working on Suits. That was my first exploration of really understanding high-end designers and knowing the level to which they are able to craft fashion, not just as clothing, but as art. I didn’t really understand that level of craftsmanship before Suits and I’m really grateful for that education because it really made me appreciate how much time and work goes in to building silhouettes specifically for a woman’s body.
How does your collection reflect that style appreciation?
For me, in putting the whole collection together, it’s a reflection of where I’ve come from. I’ve always shopped on the sale rack and I’ve always been the girl flipping through the hangers trying to find the best deal. And now, being able to say, wow, this has my name on it and is at a price point that I think is really approachable and I’m proud to say a lot of people can afford. And also that it’s an accurate reflection of my personal style and also the style of my character on Suits (Rachel Zane), is awesome. I’m really, really proud of the design process.
How involved are you in the design process?
I’m super involved with the design process, and I’m sure that it drives them crazy. But how could I not? It has my name on it. … I’ve been really grateful to work with Reitmans and have them be patient with me on knowing the craftsmanship I am after and the price point we are both after. And we have been able to come up with an amazing marriage of those two things.
The pieces in the collection are all priced less than $70. Why was this affordability important to you?
I didn’t come from a world where I had access to pieces that were incredibly high-quality and expensive. Rachel Zane’s wardrobe was a dream wardrobe for me and it still is. Having pieces like that in my closet are pieces I have really, really worked hard for. That’s not how I have lived my life. So, for me, it has always been about high-low. The other day, I put a picture up on Instagram and everyone said, ‘Oh my God, what are you wearing?’ And, OK, yes, it was a Celine bag, but it was paired with my Reitmans pants, Forever 21 sunglasses, and a scarf from Zara.
Do you have a favourite piece from the collection? If so, which one and why?
There’s nothing in there that I wouldn’t personally wear. It’s all there because I would personally wear it. But the cropped vegan leather pants.
Faux or real leather pants can be tricky. How would you suggest people wear them?
People don’t need to feel scared about a leather pant. Think of it as a jean alternative — it’s the same thing. It’s almost like they’re your yoga pants, but they look chic. I’ve crafted them to be just that comfortable. You can literally jump on a plane in them, go for a walk with your friends in them, throw them on and go for brunch — they don’t need to feel fancy. Put on a sweater and really great sneakers with a big scarf and you’ll look so stylish. For me, they are an everyday essential.
What is the one item in your wardrobe you would take with you to a desert island?
I’m so sentimental. Even though I know there are pieces, like my first Cinderella moment in fashion, when I was fitted for a Miu Miu show and they gave me this gorgeous blouse and bejewelled shoes. Those are archivable. I will give them to my daughter. They mean so much to me because I felt like a princess. However, desert island, because I’m so attached to stories, there is a T-shirt that I have kept and worn since I was a Girl Scout and my mom was my troop leader — Troup 949 — it says “Girl Scout-osaurus.”
Lastly, your new collection is launching. What’s next for you?
We are still filming the end of season six of Suits, we won’t be wrapped until the middle of November. And then, December is holiday time and I’m really looking forward to seeing my family and travelling. Then, I’m the global ambassador for World Vision, which I’m really excited about and I’ve been working with them for the past year. So, in January, I’m going to India for two weeks setting up a girls program that I’m really excited about and have been working on for the past six months.