Meghan Markle insider hits back at criticisms over ‘delayed’ lifestyle brand launch
Meghan Markle revealed her new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard back in March, but it has yet to be fully launched - and now an insider has spoken about when the brand will be fully rolled out and addressed claims of a 'delay'
Her eagerly-anticipated lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard was first revealed six months ago.
But despite Meghan Markle launching an Instagram account and website to go with it, very little information has been forthcoming about the brand, which apparently wishes to offer downloadable and printed recipe books, tableware, textiles, jams and marmalades.
A string of Meghan’s influencer pals made posts on Instagram of the American Riviera Orchard branded jam they received, but the lack of a full-scale launch has led to claims of a delay. It has been recently alleged that the delay had been caused by Meghan’s struggle to find a CEO to head up her enterprise.
But now a source close to the Duchess of Sussex has told PEOPLE magazine that reports of a delay are untrue. The insider told the publication that Meghan has been busy working behind the scenes on the project, which has been slated to have its full-scale launch “later this year”. Another source previously told the publication: “This is something she’s been wanting to do for a while. She is excited to share her style and things that she loves.”
The fresh update on American Riviera Orchard comes after Meghan yesterday announced her brand new business venture that was seemingly inspired by her time as a working royal. It has been reported that the Duchess of Sussex has invested in a female-run handbag company called Cesta Collective, which specialises in hand-woven bags. In a rare interview, Meghan revealed that she discovered the brand while online shopping as she spends a lot of time Googling “just looking for brands”.
The company specialises in bags, costing hundreds of dollars, that are handwoven by a group of women in Rwanda before they are sent to Italy to be finished off. Meghan was spotted toting one of the bags last May when she and Prince Harry were spotted heading to a restaurant near their home in Montecito for dinner with Hollywood A-listers Cameron Diaz and Gwenyth Paltrow.
After she wore the bag, the founders of Cesta Collective sent Meghan a thank you note and it was then that the Duchess offered to make an investment. In an interview with the New York Times about the new move, Meghan refused to say how much she had invested, although the brand owners confirmed it was a minority stake.
Speaking to the publication after returning from the Sussexes’ Colombia tour, Meghan said that she realised her ‘power’ when it came to promoting brands back in 2017, just before she married Harry. On her first ever royal engagement in Nottingham she wore a bag by the British brand Strathberry, which sold out quickly and gave the company huge exposure.
