Meghan Markle's Australian Tour Fashion Showcases Local Designers
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has continued a long-standing royal tradition of diplomatic dressing during her recent four-day informal tour of Australia, despite stepping down as a working member of the royal family in 2021. Her fashion choices throughout the trip have exclusively featured Australian brands, subtly honouring the host nation while making a symbolic gesture of support for local designers.
Royal Fashion as Diplomatic Tool
Royal fashion has long served as a powerful tool for messaging and symbolism, a practice arguably started by Queen Elizabeth II. Her wedding gown, embroidered with garlands of spring flowers, reflected hope and unity after World War II, representing a new beginning. This tradition continues today, with figures like the Princess of Wales using fashion for diplomatic purposes, such as wearing a British-Nigerian designer's coat during a Nigerian state visit.
Meghan Markle is no exception to this tradition. Eight years after visiting Australia as newlyweds on their first overseas tour post-wedding, the Duke and Duchess embarked on this informal tour across Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney starting April 13. Throughout, Meghan paid homage to Australia by wearing only Australian designers, including Friends with Frank, St Agni, and others.
AI-Powered Fashion Platform Involvement
Notably, Meghan has made these outfits shoppable through the AI-powered style discovery platform OneOff, where she serves as both an investor and a featured participant. Her personal "exclusive edits" are available for browsing and purchase, joining other celebrities like Suki Waterhouse, Emma Chamberlain, and Kate Hudson on the platform.
All outfits worn during the tour are accessible via the app. For example, the olive shift dress she wore on the third day during a visit to Batyr, a mental health engagement programme at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, is listed. This 'Anya dress' by luxury Australian outerwear label Friends with Frank was paired with pointed black heels and sheer tights.
Detailed Fashion Highlights
Earlier that same day, Meghan wore a loose camel trench coat by Friends with Frank during a trip to the Koorie Heritage Trust and the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne. She styled it with bootcut denim jeans by Australian label Rolla's and a casual white T-shirt featuring a red heart with 'Mama' written across, supporting Alliance of Moms—a group aiding pregnant and parenting teens in Los Angeles.
Her tour began with a tribute to Australian designers at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, where she donned a navy sleeveless dress by Karen Gee with military-style gold buttons, nodding to a leading seasonal trend. This was paired with pointed Dior pumps and heart-shaped gold earrings by Los Angeles-based Real Fine Studio.
Always favoring tonal dressing, Meghan wore an earth-toned suede skirt and matching bomber jacket by St Agni during a visit to the Australian National Veterans' Arts Museum. Underneath, she had a high-necked knitted top by Australian label P. Johnson, complemented by Cartier jewellery and nude Aquazzura heels.
MasterChef Australia Appearance
During the four-day trip, Meghan also appeared as a guest judge for the upcoming season of MasterChef Australia, premiering on April 19. Again, she honoured Australian designers, wearing a black button-down blouse by Matteau and a midi column skirt by Camilla and Marc, finished with black Manolo Blahnik pointed heels.
This tour underscores how Meghan Markle leverages fashion not just for personal style but as a means of cultural diplomacy and economic support, blending tradition with modern platforms like OneOff to promote local talent globally.
