Dear Gossips,   

Meghan Markle was honoured in New York last night where she received the Woman of Vision Award presented by the Ms. Foundation and Gloria Steinem. Prince Harry and her mother, Doria Ragland, joined her at the event. 

 

Meghan was one of six honorees last night alongside Wanda Irving, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Olivia Julianna, Rebekah Bruesehoff, and LaTosha Brown, who co-founded Black Voters Matter and was introduced with song by Tarana Burke, the founder of the Me Too movement. Tarana’s song choice was fitting for the occasion. “I’m Gonna Lift My Sister Up” on a night to recognise and celebrate the efforts of women making space for other women and pushing for gender equity. 

 

It was a powerful moment that continued when LaTosha took the stage and also sang in solidarity and power. LaTosha’s song was “I Don’t Feel Noways Tired”, slightly changing the lyrics to end on “I don’t believe SHE brought me this far to leave me”, extending Tarana’s theme – that the way forward is together. 

 

Meghan, then, was in great company and she used her opportunity on stage to encourage people to be the “visionary of your own life” to lift up the “next wave of women” and bridge the collective that those like Tarana and LaTosha have helped to expand. There is, of course, another read to Meghan’s remark about the “visionary of your own life” considering that she and Prince Harry, on the eve of their fifth wedding anniversary, have created a new one that was not what they had imagined when they first got married. But isn’t this a dress that pretty much says, “Look what we did instead?”

Because of course, where public figures like Meghan Markle are concerned, a dress is never just a dress. By now I think we can all appreciate that clothing choices are a form of expression, communication through attire. The choice of this dress, by Johanna Ortiz (already sold out), was made with the knowledge that it would be seen everywhere. It was meant to be seen everywhere. Let’s not pretend that Meghan and Harry don’t know what a heatscore they are, and how many people and specifically which people would be locked into her appearance at the event last night. So the dress is giving golden glory and triumph but also… summer body. She’s giving skin, she’s giving silhouette, she’s giving glow. 

 

And of course it’s strategic. After all, she’s just signed with WME, now represented by Ari Emmanuel, the agency’s top executive; Brad Slater, who also works with Dwayne The Rock Johnson; and Jill Smoller, who’s been Serena Williams’s agent for years. According to Variety, WME will also handle the Sussexes’ company Archewell and “film and television production, brand partnerships, and overall business-building will be explored”, but “acting will not be an area of focus”.

The signal here then is that Meghan is ready to go big with the business. Partnership deals and ambassadorships will be on the table, perhaps along the same lines as what Angelina Jolie has been doing with Guerlain and Guerlain’s association with UNESCO’s Women for Bees programme. And even though whatever business WME will bring Meghan will align with her advocacy, image management is a key part of that, just as it is for all celebrities. Which brings us back to the dress. The dress serves the image, an image that is no longer restricted by royal protocol. Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, is free and clear to be an influencer now. Or, more accurately, free and clear to go back to being an influencer now. Beauty, wellness, lifestyle – all of it is coming soon. 

Yours in gossip, 

Lainey