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The Duchess of Sussex is going to launch her own fashion line specialising in professional clothes that help disadvantaged women get into employment, it has been revealed.
The fashion line will be in aid of charity and will help many women get interview-ready by preparing them with smart apparel.
Meghan will create a “capsule” collection of women’s work wear and will work with major British retailers, such as Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Jigsaw, the Duchess wrote in British Vogue.
The anticipated line of clothing will benefit charity Smart Works, a charity the Duchess “strongly believes in”.
Each time a piece is bought from one of the retailers, a “like for like” item will be donated to the charity.
In the September issue of British Vogue, which she has guest edited, Meghan writes: “When you walk into a Smart Works space you’re met with racks of clothing and an array of bags and shoes. Sometimes, however, it can be a potpourri of mismatched sizes and colours, not always the right stylistic choices or range of sizes.
“To help with this, I asked Marks & Spencer, John Lewis & Partners, Jigsaw and my friends, the designer Mischa Nonoo, if they were willing to design a capsule collection of more classic options for a workwear wardrobe.
“Taking the idea further, many of the brands agreed to use the one-for-one model: for each item purchased by a customer, one is donated to the charity. Not only does this allow us to be part of each other’s story, it reminds us we are in it together.”
The charity offers two-hour dressing and coaching services for out of work women with confirmed job interviews.
Each client receives a personalised styling session with a volunteer stylist as well as one-to-one interview preparation with and experienced HR professional.
If an interviewee is successful in their application, they can go back to the charity to receive up to five additional pieces of clothing that will be suitable to wear to work.
Meghan added: “The reason why I was drawn to Smart Works is that it reframed the idea of charity as community.....it’s a network of women supporting and empowering other women in their professional pursuits.”
