Your workwear wardrobe just got an instant upgrade, thanks to Meghan Markle. Today, the Duchess of Sussex debuted her Smart Set capsule collection in collaboration with Smart Works, a charity that helps women dress for job interviews. Meghan has been an official royal patron of the London-based organization since January.
For the collection, she teamed up with high street favorites like Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, and Jigsaw. Fashion designer and close friend Misha Nonoo was another collaborator on the project.
The Duchess launched the collection at a rooftop event at the Oxford Street John Lewis in London, one of the city’s buzziest shopping districts. She stepped out wearing black Jigsaw trousers and a white button-down Misha Nonoo shirt, both from the collection. She topped off the sleek, boardroom-ready look with complementary cognac-hued accessories: a thin belt with a gold buckle and suede heels.
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“Since moving to the UK, it has been deeply important to me to meet with communities and organizations on the ground doing meaningful work and to try to do whatever I can to help them amplify their impact,” Meghan said in a statement on Instagram. “Thank you to the four brands who came together in supporting Smart Works on this special project — placing purpose over profit and community over competition.”
The collection includes a blazer and trousers from Jigsaw, a large tote bag from John Lewis & Partners, a dress from Marks & Spencer, and a crisp white button-down shirt from Misha Nonoo, who said that she was “thrilled” to partner with the Duchess on such an important initiative.
“Creating this capsule collection alongside The Duchess of Sussex, Smart Works, John Lewis & Partners, M&S, and Jigsaw, has been an incredible experience,” Nonoo said in a press statement. “Empowering women has always been my goal as a designer, and I was thrilled our brand could support so many women’s professional pursuits in this special partnership.”
Items from the capsule collection will be on sale for two weeks starting today. The end goal? To sell enough pieces from the collection for Smart Works to be able to provide all the essentials for their clients in the coming year. The Duchess is incorporating a one-for-one model, meaning that for every item bought during the sale of the collection, one will be donated to Smart Works.
“In convening several companies rather than one, we’ve demonstrated how we can work collectively to empower each other,” Meghan said. “Another layer to this communal success story, that I am so proud to be a part of.”