Meghan Markle ‘just sells vibes and aspirations’, experts scathingly claimed today – as they warned her As Ever brand is confusing fans who could soon ‘give up on it’.
The Duchess of Sussex is facing criticism over her lifestyle brand’s failure to have a ‘clear identity’ after she announced she is planning to ‘step back to assess’ the future of As Ever and hinted big changes were coming.
Leading brand experts told MailOnline Meghan risks ‘undermining consumer trust and willingness to invest emotionally or financially’ if she has ‘no sense of what it’s actually selling’.
One quipped that As Ever is ‘like Martha Stewart‘s child meets Goop crashed a royal garden party’ in a reference to the ‘original influencer’ and Gwyneth Paltrow‘s wellness brand.
It comes after Meghan, 43, hinted she might never restock products such as her $14 (£10.80) raspberry jam amid plans to ‘step back, gather data from the launch, and figure out exactly what As Ever could be’.
Products such as jam, honey and herbal teas sold out in just 45 minutes when she officially launched As Ever on April 2 – but they have not been restocked in nearly two months.
In an interview given to coincide with the final episode of her Confessions of a Female Founder podcast, she told US business magazine Fast Company that she isn’t planning to announce new products until the first quarter of 2026.
However, just hours after the interview was published, insiders told MailOnline that a jam restock will in fact be coming soon, prompting questions over the ‘mixed messages’ her lifestyle brand is sending.
Mark Borkowski, arguably Britain’s leading PR guru, told MailOnline: ‘Meghan’s brand isn’t so much a business as it is an aesthetic experiment, mood over message.
Meghan Markle’s jam sold out within minutes of going on sale in April. She hinted that it may never return but insiders say it will be restocked soon
Insiders told MailOnline that a jam restock will be coming soon, prompting questions over the ‘mixed messages’ her lifestyle brand is sending
‘One day it’s jam, the next it’s ambiguous talk of stepping back, then it’s whispers of fashion. From a PR standpoint, it’s all theatrics and no third act.
‘The brand has all the trimmings of curated luxury but no sense of what it’s actually selling, apart from vibes and vague aspiration.
‘It’s like the child of Martha Stewart meets Goop crashed a royal garden party, got distracted by the hydrangeas, and forgot why it showed up. At this point, it’s less a strategy, more a scented candle of confusion.’
Stewart is widely regarded as the ‘original’ lifestyle influencer while Goop is Gwyneth Paltrow’s own wellness brand which has sold products such as vagina scented candles.
Brand and Culture expert Nick Ede agreed that Meghan’s brand lacks identity, telling MailOnline: ‘The biggest problem with all of this is that consumers are going to start to fatigue and give up on the brand.
‘Shoppers want bragging rights and it feels like they don’t know what they are and so fans and consumers will soon start clicking on other brands with strong identities and great product.
Mr Ede, who was friends with Meghan when she was starring on Suits, said the As Ever brand should be an overarching business that incorporates Meghan’s passions -such as food, fashion and lifestyle.
He added: ‘It feels like it lacks consistency and awareness.
‘We know her social media puts the brand in the spotlight but when you haven’t restocked for over two months and you’ve not communicated this to your customer base – and now contradicting stories are coming out as to whether the brand will return – it sends mixed messages which is what has been happening ever since As Ever was announced.
‘The bottom line is that this is all about making money and building up a brand that has equity in a very competitive market.
One leading expert likened Meghan’s As Ever brand to ‘the child of Martha Stewart meets Goop crashed a royal garden party’
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, was speaking about her business and balancing work with motherhood as the first series of her podcast, published by Lemonada Media, comes to a close
She revealed she may not restock the previous goods she sold, including her long-awaited jam, and instead come up with new products
‘When Meghan used social media to promote the clothes she wore on her TV show the items sold out. There is a Meghan effect and she will be wanting to use that to her advantage.
‘I think she will want As Ever to be a one stop shop for all things Meghan and will want to make sure that her investors and partners Netflix are happy.’
Despite only officially launching As Ever on April 2, Meghan suggested her brand could be taking a surprising turn as she hinted at stepping into the fashion industry instead.
‘The category of fashion is something I will explore at a later date, because I do think that’s an interesting space for me.’
She added: ‘I want to really focus on the hospitality angle of As Ever, but as we take the learnings, we can understand what the customer’s needs are seasonally.’
‘My heart is very deeply in my home. Everything comes from being rooted in the love story of your home and garden, and then you can imagine different verticals coming out of that.’
Addressing her first online shop, Meghan said Netflix agreed that rather than market her products under their brand, it would make sense for her to have her own store.
Netflix already has its own online shop selling brand-related products such as Stranger Things bomber jackets and Squid Game merchandise.
In the interview, the Duchess also revealed she wouldn’t know ‘what to call herself’ if she had to write a resume.
She said: ‘If I had to write a résumé, I don’t know what I would call myself.
Meghan told how she would cling ‘closely’ to Harry while wearing heels during pregnancy to avoid ‘faceplanting’
Meghan was discussing Ms Blakely’s (pictured) new venture, focusing on comfortable high heels
‘I think it speaks to this chapter many of us find ourselves in, where none of us are one note. But I believe all the notes I am playing are part of the same song.’
Marketing agency owner Lydia Berman told MailOnline: ‘Meghan’s own statement is really poignant, ‘If I had to write a résumé, I don’t know what I would call myself,’ this is incredibly insightful and will resonate with many business owners. In a branding context, it speaks volumes about the current state of As Ever.
‘A strong brand is built on a clear identity, a defined purpose, and a consistent narrative. When the founder herself admits to this level of personal and professional uncertainty, it inevitably spills over into the brand’s perception.
‘ Exploring different avenues like fashion, while potentially lucrative, needs to be integrated into a larger, cohesive brand strategy rather than appearing as a series of disparate explorations.
‘Without a clear ‘résumé’ for the brand itself, it risks appearing unfocused and ultimately struggling to carve out a distinct and memorable position in a competitive market.
‘When the founder herself is expressing uncertainty about the brand’s future or a product’s availability, it can really undermine consumer trust and willingness to invest emotionally or financially.’
Ms Berman, who has been involved in brand and marketing for 25 years, said that the uncertainty over whether the jam will be restocked or not adds ‘another layer of confusion’.
‘Such inconsistencies can dilute the message she’s trying to build and make it difficult for the public to understand what As Ever truly stands for or what its core offering will be,’ she added.
Meghan said the ‘mom moments’ push her to success in the business world, with plans in the future ranging from home goods to fashion.
Meghan added that the ‘mom moments’ push her to success in the business world, with plans in the future ranging from home goods to fashion.
Revealing her son Archie has begun to lose his teeth, she described becoming the tooth fairy and leaving coins and a little dinosaur underneath his pillow.
She said: ‘I had a lot of business meetings the next morning, but I still chose to cuddle with him the rest of the night. Those mom moments energize me to be a better founder, a better employer, a better boss.’
MailOnline has contacted Meghan’s representatives for comment.
