Did Meghan Markle Hint at Her Next Career Move With Her Paris Appearance?
With her Paris Fashion Week debut, Meghan Markle is rumored to be forging ties in the fashion industry to expand her global presence.
On October 4, Meghan Markle made a surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week to support Pierpaolo Piccioli, the new creative director of Balenciaga. The Duchess of Sussex enjoyed a front row seat at Balenciaga’s Spring-Summer 2026 show, seated beside her friend, Mark Anderson. Her appearance at such a prestigious fashion event has fueled speculation that she may be looking to enter the fashion industry as part of her new business venture. Markle has previously spoken about her love for fashion and her support for female designers.
During the event, Markle stunned in a monochromatic white ensemble that impressed even Anna Wintour. The minimalistic look echoed her signature style seen in her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, offering further hints of what her fashion line would look like. The Duchess was praised for her chic fashion choices in Season 1. In one of the episodes, actress Mindy Kaling gushed, "Your fashion is like, one of my favorite things. Sometimes, I will look like, 'Where’s that coat from?' go to maxmara.com, and it’s already sold out." Markle replied, "I like high-low," pointing out that her trousers were from Zara, her shirt from Loro Piana, and her jumper from Jenni Kayne.
Another reason for the rumors surrounding Markle’s entry into fashion is her constant support for female designers. At the 2018 British Fashion Awards, she gave a speech about fashion and social responsibility. She said, "We have a deep connection to what we wear… Supporting and empowering each other, especially as women. When we choose to wear a certain designer, we’re not just a reflection of their creativity and their vision, but we’re also an extension of their values." The Duchess also supports up-and-coming designers, describing it as the most ‘powerful’ thing she has been able to do.
Furthermore, her June interview on the Aspire with Emma Gerde podcast also fuels the speculation of Markle venturing into the fashion industry. Acknowledging how many thought she would jump into launching a fashion line after leaving royal life behind, she told the host, "I do believe it was probably more obvious to a lot of people that I would get into fashion or beauty. That seemed like the natural inclination. But that's not what I was sitting around doing every day." Interestingly, she then turned the conversation to ‘her real passion’ and felt her calling was something that resonated with her heart, home, and garden.
The Duchess of Sussex currently has a lifestyle brand, As Ever, and for anyone building one, connections made during fashion month are invaluable.
