Goat website crashes as Meghan makes first post-wedding appearance

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 22, 2018

British fashion brand Goat saw its website crashing on Tuesday as the new Duchess of Sussex appeared in one of the label’s dresses at her first public engagement since her wedding on Saturday.

The former Meghan Markle proved the fashion influence she’s had in the past few months was no temporary pre-wedding fad as she wore a Goat dress in ‘old rose’ to a reception at Buckingham Palace and sent sales soaring.

The dress, called Flavia and retailing at £590, was specially made for the Duchess but was also available as a ready-to-wear piece on the brand’s website in two colour options.

The website crashed within minutes of photos of the Duchess being released and while the site was later restored, it actually remained down intermittently throughout Tuesday evening.

The dress, with a sheer décolletage and sleeves, was available in sizes 6 to 18 and was also listed as sold out on luxury e-tail site Matchesfashion. 

Goat founder Jane Lewis told Sky News: "We are delighted Meghan chose to wear Goat and it was a pleasure to make a custom dress for her.”

It’s a taste of things to come for any label chosen by the Duchess and it seems likely that we’ll see an even more extreme version of the ‘Kate Middleton effect’. That effect has seen the mid-market and premium labels worn by the former Ms Markle’s new sister-in-law selling out fast. 

Meghan’s pre-existing celebrity as a star of the TV series Suits, combined with her new royal status, means she’s set to make an even bigger impact and, potentially, could be the biggest fashion influencer globally at least in the short term.