Meghan Markle has taken on yet another business venture – investing in a new fashion brand.
The Duchess of Sus𝑠e𝑥, 43, has recently invested in Cesta Collective, a mission-based handbag brand she’s used a number of times over the past few years.
Meghan told the New York Times this week that she likes to search online for brands she likes and can support and that’s how she stumbled upon Cesta Collective.
“I spend a lot of time just Googling, looking for brands,” she said. “When people are online looking for things or reading things, I’m trying to find great new designers, especially in different territories.”
Cesta Collective’s signature basket bags are hand woven by women in Rwanda, who the brand say are proud to pay 500-700% times the national average salary, before they are finished off in Italy and sold on shelves.
Markle first carried the company’s drawstring Bucket Bag in May 2023 during a dinner date with her husband Prince Harry, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cameron Diaz at Sushi Bar in Santa Barbara. The bag quickly sold out.
“We had more sales in one day than we’ve ever had,” Cesta Collective co-founder Erin Ryder told the Times. Ryder and her partner Courtney Weinblatt Fasciano contacted Meghan to thank her for her support, and this year, Markle became the brand’s first outside investor.
Markle recalled how after she carried a Strathberry Midi Tote at a 2017 public engagement, it flew out of stock (in just 11 minutes).
That moment “changed everything in terms of how I then looked at putting an outfit together,” she said.
“Times where I know there is a global spotlight, and attention will be given to each detail of what I may or may not be wearing, then I support designers that I have really great friendships with, and smaller, up-and-coming brands that haven’t gotten the attention that they should be getting. That’s one of the most powerful things that I’m able to do, and that’s simply wearing, like, an earring.”
Meghan’s new brand venture comes amid her own lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, soon hitting the shelves.
Meghan soft launched her new business venture back in March by launching an Instagram page and website. However, no update has been given as to when the official launch will take place – though it is expected to be in the autumn.
Over the course of the past few months, Meghan has teased us with the debut of three products expected to be sold under her new brand – strawberry jam, raspberry jam and dog biscuits. Rose wine is also rumoured to be included.
Meghan has also been working on her latest project with Netflix, a cookery show which will “celebrate the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining, and friendship”.
The duchess will curate the series, which will see Leah Hariton as showrunner, and Michael Steed as director.
It will be produced by Sony Pictures Television’s Intellectual Property with the duchess, Hariton, Archewell’s Chanel Pysnik, and IPC’s Aaron Saidman and Eli Holzman serving as executive producers.