Meghan Markle makes a statement.
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, covers the September 2022 issue of The Cut in a striking colour-blocked Tory Burch gown — one of a series of all-black-and-white looks she modeled for New York magazine’s fashion glossy.
Stylist Jessica Willis paired Markle’s full skirt sleeveless turtleneck dress with Lanvin emerald statement earrings for the cover photo, which showed the podcast host of “Archetypes” with her center-parted, combed back hair.
In the issue, Markle poses for photographer Campbell Addy in a devious black Bottega Veneta halter dress and an array of $36,480 Mikimoto pearls, and curls up on a rustic couch in a strapless tweed dress from Chanel alongside Sophie Buhai “Everyday Pearl.” earrings ($395-$475).
In another image, she’s all business, with a confident attitude in an asymmetrical white blazer and matching trousers from Proenza Schouler, teamed with pointed white heels from Manolo Blahnik and diamond-studded Mateo “Half Moon” hoops ($3,120).
The shoot took place at the Santa Barbara ranch of Victoria Jackson, the girlfriend of the Sussexes, founder of infomercial favorite Victoria Jackson Cosmetics.
And Markle talked about her new life in California and her relationship with the royal family in an extensive and at times shocking interview.
In addition to her rocking outfits, Prince Harry, 37, mentioned his wife juggling multiple identities during their transition to after-palace life.
“You were gone for about 10 hours yesterday,” he told Markle, adding that she came back from the shoot and said, “I’m not a model.”
“I was like, ‘No, you are, of course you can be a model,'” the Duke continued. “And she says, ‘I’m a mother!’ And it’s like, ‘You can be both.’”
Although she didn’t get into fashion during the lengthy interview, the Duchess did tell about how she went to search her belongings at Frogmore Cottage, the Windsor’s home, and flew back with a bargain.
The cottage “has been largely untouched since they left,” but the couple brought some things back to Montecito after their platinum anniversary visit.
“You go back and you open drawers and you think, ‘Oh my god. Is this what I wrote in my journal there? And here are all my socks from this time?'” she said, adding that the linen pants that during her conversation with interviewer Allison P. Davis, she “was wearing $30 pants from Boden, and I returned them.”
While she’s probably sporting more with Bottega than Boden for public appearances these days, it seems there’s one more change in store for the Duchess: a return to Instagram.
Count us in as followers.