Monday 17 April 2017

Meghan Parts Ways with Reitmans, Hello! Reports Meghan Will Attend Pippa's Wedding & Harry's Inspiring Interview!

Hello, we have several topics to chat about today.

Over the weekend it was announced Meghan has parted ways with Canadian fashion store Reitmans. Apparently she was offered a lucrative sum to renew her contract as brand ambassador but decided not to continue the partnership. The store continued to use her image to promote their collections and last month her team asked the company to stop using her image and name. A source told the Mail Online: "The promotion in 2017 was done by Reitmans outside of the deal. Once they realised they did not have the right to use her in promotion and sale, they took it down." Although we're only hearing about it now, the decision was clearly made several months ago and in addition to Meghan's decision to close her blog the Tig and considerably reduce her visibility on social media, I think it's safe to say her relationship with Harry (and her care for the relationship and its future) have been deciding factors in all these choices. We're seeing Meghan withdraw from business associations and high-profile partnerships and, apart from her filming commitments with Suits until the autumn, she's been keeping a very low profile.


Meghan's partnership with Reitmans provided one of the first sets of images I saw of her when it was announced she was seeing Harry. Meghan was reportedly approached by the brand in late 2015 when she was asked to be the brand ambassador for their Fall/Winter 2015 Collection.


According to Yahoo, Meghan said the following about teaming up with the brand:

"I'm so excited to be part of this re-energizing of Reitmans, and to be the face of a brand. I'm often asked what I wear both on and off camera, and the answer is that it's a blend of a few luxury items mixed with classic and trend driven pieces that don't break the bank. Reitmans is perfect for affordable & chic pieces that I absolutely love. Also, though I'm from LA, with this being my fifth year filming in Canada, I feel like an honorary Canadian, and have really come to call this home; it feels incredibly special to be embraced by a family-owned Canadian company, especially during such an exciting time for the brand. This is just the beginning of what we have in store, and I can't wait to share it with you."

Meghan was asked to design a spring collection of four capsule dresses for the brand and said each dress represented "a different vibe". "A lot of work went into creating these pieces and I think that's what's been most exciting for me is the education of how you get something from sketch to a hanger." There's a nice behind-the-scenes video available.


The dresses retailed for under $100. The white 'Terrace' dress was described as "edgy" with an asymmetrical hem perfect for cocktail parties. The pretty 'Date Night' dress is a vibrant, flirty piece while the 'Sunset' dress is an elegant maxi dress, perfect for summer. Finally, the 'SoireƩ' is Meghan's take on classic LBD with on-trend shoulder cut out detail.

Reitmans

Last autumn, Meghan launched her second collection with wearable pieces including work wear and office style in mind (a la her Suits character Rachel Zane). All items were priced at under $70. When Meghan was asked if the affordability element was important to her she said: "I didn’t come from a world where I had access to pieces that were incredibly high-quality and expensive. Rachel Zane’s wardrobe was a dream wardrobe for me, and it still is. Having pieces like that in my closet are pieces I have really, really worked hard for. That’s not how I have lived my life. So, for me, it has always been about high-low. The other day, I put a picture up on Instagram and everyone said, ‘Oh my God, what are you wearing?’ And, okay, yes, it was a Celine bag, but it was paired with my Reitmans pants, Forever 21 sunglasses, and a scarf from Zara. It is a hodge-podge because that’s how we live our lives."


The collection included vegan leather pants, a chic cashmere blend poncho, a faux leather skirt, a bodysuit and an oversized blouse. Speaking about her involvement with the design process Meghan said: "I’m super involved with the design process, and I’m sure that it drives them crazy. But how could I not? It has my name on it. ... I’ve been really grateful to work with Reitmans and have them be patient with me on knowing the craftsmanship I am after and the price point we are both after. And we have been able to come up with an amazing marriage of those two things."


One of Meghan's adverts for the brand (this one is cute!).



It's obvious this was an important collection for Meghan and I imagine giving it up wasn't a decision taken lightly.

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We have been very much hoping Meghan will accompany Harry to Pippa Middleton and James Matthews' wedding on Saturday, 20 May. There have been many reports on this in recent weeks all telling the same story... It's not going to happen. Today, Hello! writes they have obtained an exclusive - Meghan has asked for the week of 15-22 May off to travel to England to attend the wedding with Harry.

Hello! Magazine

More from the article:

'Meghan Markle has requested time off from her hit TV show Suits in May, leaving her free to join him at Pippa Middleton's wedding, HELLO! can exclusively reveal. The American actress wants to take a week off between 15 and 22 May, which would allow her plenty of time to travel to the UK for the hotly-anticipated nuptials in Berkshire on 20 May.
It would not be the first wedding the couple has attended together; Meghan jetted to Jamaica to join Harry at the wedding of his best friend Tom Inskip and Lara Hughes-Young in March, where they enjoyed a stay at the lavish Round Hill Hotel and Villas resort on Montego Bay.'

However, People reports Meghan will only be at the evening part of the wedding.

'A source tells PEOPLE that while Markle, 35, will not be on hand for the ceremony at St. Mark’s church in Engelfield, England, on May 20, she will be by Harry’s side when they attend the evening party after the nuptials. The source adds that protocol prohibits unmarried and un-engaged partners to attend the event, but they are more likely to attend the big bash afterwards, which tends to be less formal.
The fact that she will attend the wedding — even if it’s the post-church nighttime bash — is yet another sign that the Suits actress and the prince, 32, are getting more and more serious.'

We'll know for sure on the day. If it's just the evening part, hopefully an arrival photo will emerge - although not too likely, with the reception at the Middleton home in Bucklebury.

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If you haven't yet heard you should listen to Prince Harry's incredibly honest interview with the Telegraph's Bryony Gordon in which he bravely discusses the 'years of total chaos' he endured over the loss of his mother. Harry talks about seeking counselling at the age of 28, how sport has helped him, and his passion for the Heads Together initiative. He also discusses how he's finally in a good place to take his private life seriously and how much he would love to have kids. This is a major moment for mental health, and Harry's courage could inspire so many.



Click here to listen if you haven't already. It's about half an hour long; if you can spare the time I would highly recommend listening. 

31 comments:

  1. That was a fabulous interview Harry did. He and Bryony did very well.

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  2. I don't know if I would read too much into Meghan taking that week off in May. It overlaps with the Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada and sooooo many people in the Toronto area will be heading out of town.
    --Christine

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    1. I read elsewhere that Suits is on hiatus that week, so it's not like she has to take a week off anyway. Don't know how true that is, as I'm not privy to the shooting schedule.

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  3. A very, very nice page, Charlotte. I really appreciate the videos also. Meghan is cute as a button and definitely a sweetie. She definitely has that "it" factor. Her smarts and sweetness come through clearly.

    I love everything in both collections. Very much.
    So sad that she had to curtail future designs for whatever reason. She has a lot of talent. And caring about quality and price point is very special.

    I agree, Charlotte. Giving up Reitman's and The Tig and minimizing her presence on social media in general seem strong indications of her seriousness about her relationship with Harry.
    If she is even half as endearing in person as she is in the videos Harry would be silly to let her go.


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  4. And is that an awesome photo of her on the cover of Hello magazine or what. She is certainly very photogenic. And that is a bonus for the Royal spotlight.

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  5. Eve from Germany18 April 2017 at 07:11

    Well, I guess, if Meghan turns up at that wedding, it IS serious between them. Personally, if I was Meghan, I would NOT attend the wedding itself but attend the wedding party afterwards. Why? If there´s one woman on a wedding day that should take center stage 100%, it´s the BRIDE. Now, should Meghan turn up, of course a lot of attention would go in her direction. Plus, the wedding ceremony seems to be a rather "private" ceremony, with only close family and friends attending. Now Pippa has known Harry for quite a while and they´ve both been "No.1 supporters" on their sibling´s wedding, so they are certainly close. I doubt whether that is already including Meghan, who did not belong to their "circle of friends/family" before she started dating Prince Harry. I don´t meant that in a "negative" way. If it´s ok for the bride and groom, I´m all for her attending the ceremony. At the end of the day, it´s THEIR day and THEIR decision.....
    And I gladly repeat myself: Harry´s podcast interview is HIGHLY recommendable. I think it´s great that he feels safe enough to be so open and honest about his own personal struggles. It´s very inspirational.

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    1. While I agree that it's the bride and groom's decision who to invite to their wedding, I do find it odd that Meghan is not invited to the church but only to the reception in the evening. I know people say that's because there's no room in the church, but do you really think the serious girlfriend of a prince would be turned away for room? I don't. I don't think Pippa wants photos outside the church to focus on anyone but her and her niece/nephew. And I wonder why, to be honest. If it's a true love match, what does she care other than she's marrying the man she loves? It's making it sound like a show, rather than a serious religious rite.

      On the other hand, most of us don't have publicists for our weddings. Mr. bluhare and I wore clothes we'd worn before and went down to city hall. That's how much attention we wanted!

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    2. I tend to agree bluhare. Good points. Seems like Pippa loves attention and can't get enough of it. And why a publicist when KP announced what was needed?:)

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    3. I agree with you bluhare. That seemed odd to me too and I hope that we are wrong and Meghan will show up to the wedding and the reception.
      I have never understood why people think that there are "attention stealers" or whatever in weddings. If you are a secure and happy person stuff like that really should not bother you. As long as you are getting your pictures taken and are happy walking down the aisle who cares who is wearing what or whatever. That is my take on life in general.
      I would never have pegged Pippa to be one of those women who get worked up about who is "outshining" whom, whatever that means.
      On the other hand, Pippa's pap walks with the ring showed that she loves attention too - so maybe she isn't all about the love after all. She wants her pictures on the front pages as well.

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    4. Pippa's first show was Kate's wedding. We can blame the media for that but wearing that simple but lovely dress, with the help of that she stole the show anyway.

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    5. "Pippa's pap walks with the ring?" I saw the one appearance and no Pippa sightings since. She and James have not been seen or perhaps I missed something. Where seen and where were the pictures?
      publicist for the wedding? The person must be doing a terrible job because I have seen no professional,posed publicity photos. No photos at all.
      It is common to hire someone to manage the wedding photos, vidios, and such.
      That "announcement " was released through email. What? KP never followed up and KP's name was never on the email.
      Why go after Pippa for being Kate's sister?
      Seems she is being treated abysmally. Such unfounded statements.

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  6. All of this seems to signal towards an engagement . Fingers crossed !

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  7. Oh i never thought that see is really apart reiitmans clothing i really love the clothing line. Hmm let just wait and see if she will attend the wedding of pippa

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  8. Oh i never thought that see is really apart reiitmans clothing i really love the clothing line. Hmm let just wait and see if she will attend the wedding of pippa

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  9. Thanks for the new post Charlotte! I'm getting exicted for Harry&Meghan. I just want him to be happy. I haven't listen to Harry's interview yet, but I'll have it up while I'm working.I just saw the FB chat of Gaga and William. That was a good video. Hopefully HeadsTogether will make a difference.
    Have a good day Charlotte!

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  10. I love her clothing line and the videos are so cute! She comes across as very charming. I can see why Harry fell for her. As for Pippa's wedding, I think she'll be at the evening reception, probably not the ceremony. I'm rooting for H and M. I listened to the podcast and he's so open and quite charming himself. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

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  11. What a charming woman Meghan is. Thank you for starting this blog, Charlotte. This is a lot of fun to see. As a confirmed romantic sentimentalist, I'm rooting for this couple.

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  12. Hiho Charlotte - you may have already seen this, but it's a really great way to get to know Meghan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqLDmuMLYTM

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  13. Meghan, according to the Daily Mail, left for the studio today flanked by two security personnel and left the studio flanked by two security personnel. Is that work related or will they be with her outside all the time now?

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  14. As much as Meghan is accustomed to conversing with and rubbing shoulders with world leaders, I think she must be super excited to attend Pippa's wedding reception with Harry. Perhaps a lot more her style these days than the Inskip wedding. I hope the Middletons and Meghan get to become close friends right from the start. I think they will. I think they will be very happy for Harry.

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    1. I think they will be happy for Harry too. But I think that there is some truth to the rumors that Carole is a colossal snob, don't you ? I like Carole for what she has achieved, but they are quite aspirational people - the coat of arms, the signet rings.. they have their pretensions as well.

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    2. I love the leather pants and cape outfit. Totally my style and what I wear for weekend activities.

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    3. I dunno, surfer girl . . . a week in Jamaica with Harry and a beachy wedding, or being shunted aside and only allowed at the reception with no press around . . . . hmmm.

      OR perhaps Meghan is happy to not be photographed. I don't know. I hope it was her decision on how to attend Pippa's wedding and not something she was told.

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    4. I hope it was her choice too, bluhare. :)

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    5. Rosman, they were required to create a Coat of Arms so that Kate's Coat of Arms could be incorporated with William's Coat of Arms upon marriage. That has been standard protocol for generations. As for the signet ring, I don't think that is any different than people wearing initial charms on their charm bracelet or an "initial" necklace or monogram pins, monograms on towels, sheets, sweaters or shirts. Even puppy dogs have their harnesses, doggie beds, and sweaters monogrammed. :)

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    6. Rosman, they were required to create a Coat of Arms so that Kate's Coat of Arms could be incorporated with William's Coat of Arms upon marriage. That has been standard protocol for generations. As for the signet ring, I don't think that is any different than people wearing initial charms on their charm bracelet or an "initial" necklace or monogram pins, monograms on towels, sheets, sweaters or shirts. Even puppy dogs have their harnesses, doggie beds, and sweaters monogrammed. :)

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  15. I would imagine the rating for "Suits" this season will sky rocket more than usual solely because of Meghan and Harry. And the producers say, "HalleluYah". :)

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  16. I am so happy you have started a blog on Meghan Markle. If she and Harry get married, and I think they will, I was hoping you would do a blog on her like yours on Duchess Kate.

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  17. Thanks for the update Charlotte! Probably have to wait for the Suits shooting schedule to end before any announcements are made but it sure looks like it is headed in that direction. Looking forward to your first Kate/Meghan cross post!

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    1. Moxie I was away for Easter break so a little late here :) But there was an article I thought you would like, maybe you've seen it, Jane Martinson in The Guardian, writing how the Heads Together PR is "a new twist in the often toxic saga of the media and the royals" -
      I thought of you given some recent chats! I'm going to get it again so I have it right...

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  18. There's nice article about "Meghan's Toe-curling Turkeys", by Claudia Connell, the Daily Mail, 4/28/17.
    In the article, Claudia gives a nice blurb and photos on about 10 or so of the roles Meghan's has played and probably (on some them) wishes she hadn't. She has more of an acting resume than I realized. Not surprisingly actually I guess as her father was in the biz, her ex-husband was also, she did plays in high school, and I think she got a degree in theatre from Northwestern. So "Suits" was not some random windfall. Meghan has always pursued acting. I think she is more than qualified for perhaps her biggest role ever. Princess.

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Welcome to Mad About Meghan! We do so look forward to reading your thoughts. Constructive, fair debate is always encouraged. Hateful, derogatory terms and insults are not welcome here. This space focuses on Harry and Meghan, not any other member of the Royal family. It's not the place to discuss politics either. Thank you for reading, we look forward to your comments :)