How the Meghan Markle effect transformed the fortunes of three fashion brands, from the makers of a white shirt to a baby blanket

As Meghan Markle turns 40, we take a look at three fashion brands whose fortunes have been changed by the wife of Britain’s Prince Harry

Markle wore a white shirt by Misha Nonoo in 2017, a green Self-Portrait dress a month before her wedding and carried her son, Archie, in a blanket by Malabar

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Meghan Markle (left) and Prince Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada. Markle wore a white shirt by Misha Nonoo, one of the fashion brands that has reaped the benefits of being worn by the duchess. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:45am, 4 Aug 2021Updated: 5:25am, 4 Aug 2021

From that interview with Oprah Winfrey to the birth of her second child, Lilibeth, Meghan Markle has continued to capture our attention since she and her husband Prince Harry decamped to the US state of California after relinquishing their royal duties in early 2020.

While she and Harry provide almost daily tabloid fodder, Markle – who turns 40 on August 4 – is hands down one of the biggest fashion influencers in the world and has been instrumental in changing the fortunes of a significant number of brands. Her ability to lift a label to global stardom is unparalleled among fellow celebrities.

Here are three brands that have greatly benefited from the so-called Markle effect.

Markle’s friend Misha Nonoo is known for her high-quality wardrobe essentials, such as the perennial favourite “Husband Shirt”, which Markle wore to attend the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada, with then-boyfriend Harry.

Misha Nonoo and Markle at the launch of a collaborative collection of workwear for women. Photo: Getty Images

“If you think of style icons like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, you will find a picture of them in a classic white shirt,” Nonoo told the Post in February 2021. “There is nothing cleaner and crisper than a woman of any age, ethnicity or size wearing a white shirt. It’s something that never goes out of fashion.”

The designer also collaborated with Markle on a collection of workwear to benefit the British charity Smart Works, which provides clothing to women about to re-enter the workforce.