One year ago, the Duchess of Sussex signed with WME, one of the biggest agencies in Hollywood. She was reportedly being courted by multiple agencies, which might explain why power brokers from those other agencies were suddenly eager to bad-mouth her after she signed with WME. In any case, it’s clear that Meghan has a plan and that she and WME have spent the past year cooking up something special. American Riviera Orchard will hopefully be a great lifestyle brand, with cookbooks and a cooking show and lots of products. Incidentally, with each new update on all of ARO’s trademark applications, it seems like people really believe that she’s going to be selling all of it – no, she’s applying for all of the trademarks so that Piers Morgan won’t finance some ARO knock-off line because she forgot to trademark ARO-branded laxatives. Anyway, please allow some “royal experts” to cry about how Meghan needs A-list support for her brand:
The duchess announced the launch of the lifestyle brand this month with a vintage-style video of Meghan cooking and arranging white hydrangeas and roses. Meghan reportedly intends to flog scented oils, air fragrance reed diffusers, incense and non-medicated veterinary grooming preparations such as pet shampoo and conditioners. But experts believe it could be a flop unless she calls upon her celeb phone book.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told The Sun: “The whole enterprise doesn’t sound to me like one that would be Hollywood A-list. But if she can get out to endorse the said products – George Clooney, perhaps Oprah then, that’s another thing. I mean, she had Hollywood a Listers at the wedding. Now is the time to call on them.Now she’s launching this. If she gets a-listers to back her and back her publicly – I’d be very interested to see what happens.”
Industry insiders have told Page Six that Meghan’s site will focus on home, food, garden and lifestyle goods.
The source said: “She’s been working on this for over a year and it’s all the things that are close to her heart — all the things she’s passionate about.”
The account’s biography says the brand is “by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex” and visitors are linked to a website where they can join a mailing list.
“She needs George Clooney’s endorsement!” Why? She has not even sold one little jar of jam and she’s already gotten millions of dollars worth of free media. All she did was start an Instagram account and Tom Bower is already saying that ARO-branded dishware will destroy the monarchy. The more these people try to climb up Meghan’s ass, the more people want to buy whatever Meghan is selling to support her.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red. Cover courtesy of Time.