Meghan Markle says she’s ‘proud’ to back accessories brand donating 500 handbags to her Smart Works charity patronage
- The Duchess of Sussex has partnered Cuyana, which is donating bags to women
- Bags worth £205 will be given to clients supported by Smart Works charity
- Charity provides interview clothing and coaching for unemployed women,
- Meghan, patron of Smart Works, says she is proud to bring the two together
Meghan Markle has partnered an accessories brand which is donating 500 handbags to women seeking employment in the UK.
US company Cuyana is donating its classic structured tote bags to clients being supported by the Smart Works charity, of the Duchess of Sussex, 41, is a patron.
Smart Works, which has a team of around 300 trained volunteers, helps long-term unemployed and vulnerable women regain the skills, confidence and tools to succeed at job interviews, return to employment and transform their lives.
Meghan became patron of Smart Works in January 2019 and has remained in the position even after stepping down as a senior royal in 2020 because it is one she held in a private capacity, rather than was given by the Queen.
Meghan (pictured during a visit to Smart Works in London in 2019) became a patron of the charity in 2019
She has hailed the ‘the magic of Smart Works’, adding that the collaboration with Cuyana will help women in the UK as they ‘mobilise back into the workforce’.
‘Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the magic of Smart Works – women’s confidence and lives transformed,’ Meghan said.
‘Smart Works invests in women so they know they can thrive in any workplace, and Cuyana is a company that is by women and for women, so this feels like the perfect fit.
‘Similar to the Smart Set collection we created many years ago for Smart Works, this collaboration will support women in the UK as they mobilise back into the workforce.
Cuyana will be giving 500 of its structured tote bags (pictured) to Smarts Works, a charity of which Meghan is patron
‘I am proud to bring these two together to further our shared mission of uplifting and empowering women all around the globe.’
In 2019, Meghan launched a charity capsule clothing collection of workwear essentials with Smart Works, in partnership with John Lewis & Partners, Marks & Spencer, Jigsaw and Misha Nonoo.
For two weeks, items were available on a 1:1 model, meaning that for every item bought by a customer, another was given to help a woman get back into the workplace.
The tote bags, which usually cost around £205, are by US-based Cuyana, which describes itself as a women-built, heritage-led company which offers ‘timeless design, luxury quality, and sustainability’.
Meghan launched a charity capsule clothing collection of workwear essentials with Smart Works in 2019 (pictured at the London launch of the collection)
Kate Stephens, Smart Works’ chief executive, said: ‘At Smart Works we believe in fashion as a force for good.
‘We know that when a woman looks and feels great about who she is, she can change her life.’
She said the bags would ‘bring joy and confidence to hundreds of the women we support setting them up for success ahead of their interviews’.
The announcement came ahead of Giving Tuesday, a global movement encouraging people to give back following Black Friday and Cyber Monday.