People are still talking about the Duchess of Sussex’s sweet Instagram video, which she posted this week. Meghan detailed the story of meeting a mother and her teenage daughter who lost everything in the California wildfires, and what the teen girl wanted most of all was her Billie Eilish concert t-shirt. So Meghan used her contacts to get a voice memo to Billie, and Billie sent over a “care package” of signed merch for the girl. Meghan used the IG video to thank Billie and everyone who helped her get the story to Billie (including Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo). The reaction to Meghan’s video was split in two camps: normal people saying “how lovely” versus deranged maniacs screaming, crying and throwing up about Meghan doing something nice. The Daily Mail’s crashout was epic, as was the Daily Beast’s. But did you also know that Meghan’s video had another lovely bonus? In the video, Meghan wore a black sweatshirt embroidered with Archie and Lili’s names. That sweatshirt came from a Chicago small business called Club Chainstitch, and they’re currently getting a bonkers “Meghan bump.”
Meghan Markle’s latest Instagram post included quite a surprise for a Chicago business owner. On Feb. 4, the Duchess of Sussex shared a selfie-style video on Instagram in which she shared her excitement about receiving Billie Eilish merchandise for a teen whose home was damaged in the recent Los Angeles fires. Meghan, 43, was sporting a black crewneck sweatshirt featuring the names of her two children — Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3 — stitched along the collar. The product was from Club Chainstitch, a woman-owned small business that uses a 1920s chainstitch machine to create custom products.
Owner Ann Leachman tells PEOPLE she became aware of the Duchess of Sussex’s fashion choice when a friend sent her the video asking if it was from her company.
“I was so stunned. I had to do a double take and almost didn’t believe it was one of ours, even though the writing on her shirt is in my literal handwriting,” Leachman says.
Leachman says it was a “regular, random order” made through the shop in 2022. However, Meghan’s name was “nowhere on the order, so I thought nothing of it and never put the connection together with her children’s names as the text choice. That explains how surprised I was to see her wearing it over two years later! I’m not sure if it was a gift or if Meghan ordered it herself,” she adds. “Either Meghan loves to support small women-owned handmade businesses or she has great friends in her life who do. Likely both!”
Leachman was taking a break from her shop for maternity leave after welcoming her first child in November when the news of Meghan’s support broke.
“I was planning on easing back to work very slowly by opening the shop up a week from now,” she says. “But after I saw the reel of Meghan wearing a Club Chainstitch sweatshirt, I knew this was a game-changing moment for a small business like mine, and I had to open up early. It has been a wild way to come back to work, and I am so grateful for all the orders and support!”
She expressed excitement on social media, writing, “What a way to come back from maternity leave! I had planned to keep the shop closed until next week but decided to open up early because this is the coolest thing ever!”
Meghan’s custom sweatshirt sells for $73, with buyers able to personalize their design with one to three words, symbols such as a heart or moon and a choice of where to put their text on the clothing. Club Chainstitch also offers t-shirts, hats and bags, all customized at a Chicago studio.
This is so sweet and it’s honestly life-changing for a small-business owner, to have Meghan pop up wearing one of your items. This is why Meghan invests in small fashion/accessories businesses too – why rep for Dior when you could boost female-owned small businesses and actually invest in women? Apparently, there’s been such a huge interest in Club Chainstitch that now everything is back-ordered! Ann Leachman is going to have to hire some more people.
Screencaps from Meghan’s IG and Club Chainstitch (thanks to CB).
