Meghan Markle's Influential Impact on a Small Jewelry Brand Changed Their Business Forever
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Meghan Markle’s influence is being felt everywhere these days. After her Suits costar, Abigail Spencer, discussed the Duchess of Sussex’s star power in helping the show’s 2023 resurgence on Netflix, a small jewelry brand is crediting her with putting them on the map and changing the entire course of their business.
The London-based brand Kimai was fortunate enough to raise $1.2 million for their company after Meghan wore a pair of their ethical lab-grown diamond earrings. The astonishing story was revealed by co-founders Sidney Neuhaus and Jessica Warch in a recent episode of Dragons’ Deal, the U.K. version of Shark Tank. They launched their business “without investment” and convinced the then-royal family member to wear their earrings, which she purchased for $845. It was a game-changer for Kimai as a brand after Meghan was photographed wearing the jewelry piece during a 2019 visit to a Smart Works charity event.
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“I think for us as a young brand starting out it’s very hard to get out there, and her wearing our designs really attracted people’s attention from a design perspective but also from a lab-grown diamond perspective,” Warch told Page Six Style, noting that “it was the first time royalty was seen wearing lab-grown diamonds.” The story of how the owners got Meghan to wear their 18k yellow gold Felicity crawler earrings is just as fascinating.
“We’re big believers in cold emails and it’s the same way we got all of our investors. We didn’t know anyone in the space,” Warch said during their Dragons’ Deal pitch, via Page Six. One of the show’s “dragons,” Diary Of A CEO podcast host Steven Bartlett was quite impressed with the duo’s tenacity and offered them a $316,000 investment. “The story you told me of you hounding down Meghan Markle was the moment you had my heart because that’s what it takes,” Bartlett said.
Meghan continues to be a supporter of the brand and wore a pair of the designers’ semi-hoop earrings to the Invictus Games last fall. The Duchess of Sussex is also proving to be a trendsetter because Hollywood stars, including Emma Watson and Jessica Alba, have also been spotted wearing the stunning pieces. So, Meghan’s influence is proving to not only be far-reaching, but it has also made an impressive financial impact on two small business owners.
Before you go, click here to see Meghan Markle’s best post-royal fashion moments below!
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