Meghan Markle spared no expense when she stepped out in New York City on Tuesday to accept a ‘Women of Vision’ award at a glittering gala – pulling out all the sartorial stops in a $12,000 gold ensemble.
The 41-year-old, who attended the event with her husband Prince Harry and her mother Doria Ragland, proved herself to be a ‘vision’ indeed as she made her way inside the venue via a rather unglamorous Hertz car rental area – wowing in a custom version of a $1,850 Colombian-designed gown.
In keeping with the evening’s feminist theme, Meghan chose her dress from women-owned brand Johanna Ortiz, however she opted to put her own spin on the label’s Ideal Universe Midi-Dress by opting to remove the straps that were originally included in the design to better show off her California glow.
Sticking with the golden color scheme for the evening, the Duchess accessorized her midi dress – which has a slit right up the front – with a pair of funky gold strappy ‘naked’ heels from Tom Ford.
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The $1,350 sandals are described online as a ‘barely there naked’ design and feature a key-and-padlock embellishment on the side of the thin ankle strap.
‘Anchored by a sculptural metal heel, Tom Ford’s Naked sandals are crafted of gleaming metallic leather in Italy,’ the online description reads. ‘This pair is styled with signature lock hardware at the dainty ankle strap.’
Meghan further accessorized her look with a $1,100 Carolina Herrera Metropolitan Insignia clutch in the same golden shade – having previously carried a white version of the same design to Trooping the Colour in June 2018.
Adding even more glitz to the glamorous look, the mother-of-two went all out with her jewelry, adding several diamond bracelets to her left wrist, one of which appeared to be a Cartier design that was once owned by Princess Diana – and which experts have estimated could be worth anywhere between $18,000 and $150,000.
She also sported her favorite $7,350 gold Cartier Love Bracelet, a design that she has been seen wearing for years.
The Duchess also appeared to be wearing a controversial bauble on her right hand – a large diamond pinky ring that was reportedly made for her by celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz using diamonds that Page Six claimed in 2020 were ‘a gift that the [Sussexes] received from the Middle East’.
Meghan wore the same $62,000 design on the same hand when she and Harry posed on the cover of Time in September 2021 – however they denied at the time that the ring had been made with stones from the Middle East, claiming that it had instead been procured from the stylist on the shoot.
As the finishing touch, Meghan added a budget-friendly pair of J. Crew hoop earrings to her look – opting for a sold-out design that features chunky clear stones around the hoop.
The designer behind Meghan’s dress for the evening – Johanna Ortiz – is a Colombia-born fashion aficionado who studied Fashion Design at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, before ’rounding up her formal education’ in New York and Paris before returning to her home country where she established her eponymous brand.
On her website, Johanna makes clear her commitment to women’s empowerment and advocacy, writing: ‘Johanna has kept her commitment to social causes and female empowerment a cornerstone of her design and business ethos.’
The bio continues: ‘Today her vision has materialized into a successful business that employs over 450 individuals, most of whom are women heads-of-household.
‘She has crossed borders, becoming an international fashion guru known for her distinct silhouettes, unique prints, and general “joie de vivre” in every collection.
‘Johanna is inspired by her environment, from the biodiverse richness of her beloved Colombia and Latin America to the strong female spirit enshrined in the women surrounding her, her travels, and her inner spiritual world.
‘Her unbridled love of color and print, her couture knowledge of silhouette and fit, and her unabashed air of exuberant elegance have made her brand a coveted treasure for all fashion admirers.
‘For twenty years, the JO brand has grown organically and sustainably, stitch by stitch, collection by collection, and most importantly, person by person. The brand has developed an exclusive design language from a foundation based on the power of the feminine and a celebration of the exquisite.’
The brand has previously been worn by a host of celebrities, including Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner, Mandy Moore, and Anna Faris.
Interestingly, Gwyneth Paltrow – whom Meghan enjoyed a sushi dinner with on Friday – was seen wearing a design from the brand back in March when she shared an Instagram image of herself wearing a blue and white Johanna Ortiz dress while posing alongside her mom Blythe Danner and daughter Apple.
The brand even had its moment at Meghan and Harry’s wedding in 2018, when Delfina Blaquier, wife of the Duke’s close friend and polo teammate Nacho Figueras, sported one of its designs to their evening reception.
This evening’s event will see Meghan being championed for her ‘lifelong advocacy for women and girls’, according to the Women of Vision website.
The site further gushes that the mother-of-two is ‘a feminist, champion of human rights and gender equity, and global role model’.
‘Meghan is also a passionate advocate for family rights, and an investor in dynamic female founded companies,’ the Duchess’ bio on the awards site continues.
‘Meghan is noted as one of the most powerful and influential women in the world, topping lists such as TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People, The Financial Times’ 25 Most Influential Women, Variety Power of Women, and British Vogue’s Vogue 25.’
‘We are thrilled to announce this year’s honorees for the Women of Vision Awards and to celebrate 50 years of progress and power,’ Teresa C. Younger, the president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation, said in a statement last month.
She added that Meghan, as well as the other award winners — including Black Lives Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown — ‘are incredible leaders, and we are grateful to be able to shine a light on their many accomplishments and tireless work on behalf of gender and racial equity across the country and the world.’
Source: dailymail.co.uk
