Meghan Markle wears $12,000 outfit — including ‘naked’ Tom Ford shoes — to New York Awards
Meghan Markle spared no expense when she stepped into New York City on Tuesday to collect a “Women of Vision” award at a dazzling gala — she pulled out all the sartorial registers in a $12,000 gold ensemble.
The 41-year-old, who attended the event with her husband Prince Harry and her mother Doria Ragland, proved she was indeed a ‘vision’ as she entered the venue through a rather unglamorous Hertz car rental area – wowing in a modified version of a $1,850 Colombia-designed dress.
In keeping with the evening’s feminist theme, Meghan chose her dress from women’s brand Johanna Ortiz, but she opted to put her own spin on the label’s Ideal Universe Midi-Dress by choosing to remove the straps that originally appeared in the design had been incorporated to better show off its Californian glow.
Sticking to the gold color scheme for the evening, the Duchess embellished her midi dress – which has a slit all the way down the front – with a pair of funky gold strappy ‘naked’ heels from Tom Ford.
Meghan Markle spared no expense as she stepped into New York on Tuesday to collect a ‘Women of Vision’ award — she pulled out all the stops in a $12,000 gold ensemble
Meghan, 41, chose a design by Colombian brand Johanna Ortiz (right), but opted to have the $1,850 Ideal Universe Midi Dress modified to remove the straps (left)
She accessorized the dress with a pair of $1,350 “naked” gold heels from Tom Ford, sporting a funky padlock and key embellishment on the ankle strap
Described online as a “barely naked” design, the $1,350 sandals feature a key-and-padlock embellishment on the side of the thin ankle strap.
“Anchored by a sculptural metal heel, Tom Ford’s Naked sandals are made from glossy metallic leather in Italy,” the online description reads. “This pair is styled with signature lock hardware on the dainty ankle strap.”
Meghan further complemented her look with a $1,100 Carolina Herrera Metropolitan Insignia clutch in the same gold hue — having previously worn a white version of the same design to Trooping the Color in June 2018.
To add even more glitz to the glamorous look, the mother-of-two went all out with her jewelry and added several diamond bracelets to her left wrist, one of which appeared to be a Cartier design once owned by Princess Diana — and those experts have estimated it could be worth anywhere from $18,000 to $150,000.
She also wore her favorite $7,350 gold Cartier Love Bracelet, a design she’s been wearing for years.
As a finishing touch, Meghan added a budget-friendly pair of J. Crew earrings to her look — she opted for a sold-out design with chunky, clear stones around the hoop.
The designer behind Meghan’s evening dress – Johanna Ortiz – is a Colombian-born fashion enthusiast who studied Fashion Design at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, before “completing her formal training” in New York and Paris before returning to her home country where she made her eponymous brand established.
On her website, Johanna makes clear her commitment to women’s empowerment and advocacy, writing, “Johanna has kept her commitment to social causes and women’s empowerment a cornerstone of her design and business ethos.”
Meghan wore two diamond bracelets on her wrist – one of which appeared to be a Cartier design once owned by Princess Diana
Meghan wore a $1,100 Metropolitan Insignia clutch from Carolina Herrera (left) and added another touch of gold to her look with her $7,350 Cartier Love Bracelet (right)
She topped off her look with a pair of budget-friendly crystal-embellished earrings from J. Crew, which have since sold out
The bio continues, “Today her vision has become a reality in a successful company that employs more than 450 people, most of whom are female heads of household.
She has crossed boundaries and become an international fashion guru known for her distinct silhouettes, unique prints and general joie de vivre in every collection.
‘Johanna is inspired by her surroundings, from the richness of biodiversity of her beloved Colombia and Latin America to the strong feminine spirit anchored in the women around her, her travels and her inner spiritual world.
Her unbridled love of color and print, her couture knowledge of silhouette and fit, and her unabashed exuberance of elegance have made her brand a coveted treasure for all fashion enthusiasts.
‘For twenty years now, the JO brand has grown organically and sustainably, stitch by stitch, collection by collection and, above all, person by person. The brand has developed an exclusive design language from a foundation based on the power of the feminine and a celebration of the exquisite.’
The brand has previously been worn by numerous celebrities, including Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner, Mandy Moore and Anna Faris.
Interestingly, Gwyneth Paltrow — with whom Meghan enjoyed a sushi dinner on Friday — wore a design from the brand in March when she shared an Instagram image of herself in a blue and white Johanna Ortiz dress as she posed alongside her mother Blythe Danner and daughter Apple.
Meghan’s friend Gwyneth Paltrow – with whom she had dinner on Friday – wore a Johanna Ortiz design in March when she posed for a photo with mother Blythe Danner and daughter Apple
The brand even had its moment at Meghan and Harry’s wedding in 2018, when Delfina Blaquier, wife of the Duke’s close friend and polo teammate Nacho Figueras, wore one of its designs to their evening reception.
At tonight’s event, Meghan will be defended for her “lifelong advocacy for women and girls,” according to the Women of Vision website.
The site further gushes that the mother-of-two is “a feminist, champion of human rights and gender equality, and a global role model.”
Meghan is also a passionate advocate for family rights and an investor in dynamic women-founded businesses.
“Meghan is known as one of the most powerful and influential women in the world, topping lists such as TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People, The Financial Times’ 25 Most Influential Women, Variety Power of Women and British Vogue’s Vogue 25.”
“We are thrilled to announce this year’s awards for the Women of Vision Awards and to celebrate 50 years of progress and strength,” said Teresa C. Younger, the president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation, in a statement last month.
She added that Meghan, as well as the other award winners — including Black Lives Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown — are “incredible leaders, and we are grateful to be able to shine a light on their many achievements and tireless work for gender equality.” and racial equality across the country and the world.”