Meghan, Duchess of Sussex elbowing 17-year-old K-pop singer Haerin and Charlize Theron out of the way to become the face of French luxury house Dior had all the key ingredients of a great royal rumour.
The timing of Meghan landing on her feet in a pair of J’adior slingbacks was perfect, now that the Sussexes’ lucrative Spotify deal has soured less than a year after the debut of her podcast Archetypes.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June, 2022, wearing Dior, will not become a face of the brand. Actor Charlize Theron, attending the Dior runway show in Paris in February, has a rumoured $US55 million deal with the luxury house. Credit: Getty
There’s also money, which Dior has plenty of, with fragrance ambassador Theron on an estimated $US55million ($82 million) contract as the face of J’adore.
“And Dior is not afraid of a bit of controversy, working with Johnny Depp,” says Michel Hogan, a Melbourne-based brand counsel. Depp signed a $US20 million deal to remain the face of Dior’s Sauvage fragrance last year, before a lengthy court case with his ex-wife Amber Heard was decided in his favour.
Stir well, and you have the hottest royal gossip since actor Elizabeth Hurley denied being the “beautiful older woman in the countryside” who participated in Prince Harry’s first sexual encounter, recounted in his autobiography Spare.
The missing ingredients were facts, with spokespeople for the Sussexes and Dior denying the deal.
“There have been no contract negotiations or recent contact with Markle,” a Dior spokesperson told WWD. In short, Meghan never knocked on Dior’s door, and the venerable French luxury house never answered.
“From my experience working with a luxury brand, when looking for an ambassador, it’s important to find a person who is aligned with the company’s values, image and ethos, who will represent the brand appropriately and help amplify global messaging via appearances, events, ad campaigns, red carpet dressing opportunities and of course via their social media,” says New York-based luxury brand consultant Malcolm Carfrae.
“Anything they do publicly can affect the brand’s image adversely or positively, so a lot of thought and research (and legal language) goes into these appointments to protect the brand.”
So, what does current research show?
“I doubt with the Sussex’s current polarising public personas, aggravating media profile and also disastrous, recently soured collaborations with Spotify, Netflix etc. that any brand would be looking to get into bed with them,” says one independent British luxury specialist.
Angelina Jolie, addressing a meeting on UN peacekeeping in 2019, has created a fashion blueprint for Meghan with her new business Atelier Jolie.Credit: AP
While Dior might want to keep its distance, what would the duchess receive as a fashion ambassador, apart from money and a lifetime supply of her mother-in-law Princess Diana’s favourite handbag, the Lady Dior?
“For a personality like Meghan, there is significant risk in undertaking ambassadorial agreements like this one – it further dilutes her brand or reputation, and where does it end? Dior now, what next?” says reputation specialist Sally Branson.
While Meghan is a fan of luxury labels, commissioning Givenchy to design her 2018 wedding dress and appearing in Carolina Herrera, The Row, Brandon Maxwell and Dior, her past fashion collaborations have been more closely aligned to altruism than advertising.
In 2019, Meghan partnered with women’s organisation Smart Works on a five-piece workwear capsule collection Smart Set, created with Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Jigsaw and her friend, designer Misha Nonoo. For every item purchased, one was donated to Smart Works for use by their clients.
Unlike her sister-in-law Princes Catherine, Meghan chose not to appear on the cover of British Vogue, instead guest editing the 2019 Forces For Change edition. Meghan and editor Edward Enninful selected 15 inspiring women to appear on the cover, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
“Whatever she does next, there’s got to be an underlying good that goes along with it,” Hogan says. “Even Archetypes was about shining a light on important topics and ideas. That feels like her thread.”
“There’s nothing wrong with wearing nice things, but that’s not her motivation. It’s not her driver.”
Angelina Jolie has created an on-brand blueprint for Meghan with her fashion brand Atelier Jolie, which will showcase the work of artisans from Fair Trade enterprises, use dead stock fabric and highlight female-led social organisations
“Atelier Jolie is a place for creative people to collaborate with a skilled and diverse family of expert tailors, pattern makers and artisans from around the world,” Jolie said in an Instagram post in May, launching the initiative.
When Atelier Jolie announced a collaboration with French luxury label Chloé, to be launched on the Paris runway in October, there were supportive murmurings, compared to the public criticisms of a Dior partnership with the duchess.
“The singular lack of generosity that is afforded to Meghan is extraordinary,” Hogan says.
For reputation specialist Branson, picking a brand position should come before picking up a needle.
“I think before entering into any new or more commercial partnerships, Meghan and Harry need to work out what is important to their reputation or brand. Which raises questions like, do they see themselves as a brand? This seems unclear. Are they royal or are they celebrities?”
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