On Thursday, Meghan unveiled a new website and Instagram page, hinting at the launch of a potential lifestyle brand. Both platforms offer a glimpse into "American Riviera Orchard" with a stylish gold script font, accompanied by a coordinating logo and monogram. While the pages remain somewhat elusive in terms of specifics, valuable insights can be gleaned from the official trademark application filed on February 2nd, which is currently under review by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
The trademark application for American Riviera Orchard encompasses a wide range of goods and services. It includes items such as tableware, table cutlery, downloadable and printed cookbooks and recipe books, coffee and tea services, servingware, decanters, dinner chargers, napkin rings, table place card holders, beverage ware, textile tablecloths, place mats, napkins, kitchen and table linens, and fabric gift wrap. Additionally, the application covers food-related products like jellies, jams, marmalades, fruit preserves, edible oils and fats, vegetable-based spreads, legume-based spreads, nut-based spreads, garlic-based spreads, sesame-based spreads, dairy-based spreads, and fruit butters.
Interestingly, American Riviera Orchard also seeks retail store services featuring food, books, tableware, tablescape goods, table linens, and servingware. It suggests the possibility of brick-and-mortar stores being part of their future plans. Furthermore, the application requests online retail store services featuring food and beverages, books, tableware, and table linens, indicating an intention to establish a digital presence for purchasing their products. Lastly, the document asks for online ebooks related to cookbooks and recipe books.
In the midst of these developments, it has been alleged that Meghan Markle has borrowed ideas from Martha Stewart's show, "Martha Knows Best." The reality television series, aired on HGTV, showcased Martha Stewart's activities at her Bedford, New York farm during the COVID-19 pandemic. The show captivated viewers as Martha delved into gardening and various household endeavors while sharing domestic wisdom with celebrity guests. Notable figures like Drew Barrymore, Lorraine Bracco, Lauren Conrad, Jamie Lee Curtis, Snoop Dogg, Richard Gere, Chelsea Handler, Derek Hough, Kate Hudson, DJ Khaled, Dennis Leary, Jay Leno, Post Malone, Lupita Nyong'o, Leslie Odom Jr., and Anthony Porowski were featured in the show's second season.
The news of potential show concept similarities adds to the ongoing discussions surrounding Meghan's future plans. It has been reported that she intends to leverage the final year of her current Netflix contract to compete with renowned lifestyle icons such as Martha Stewart, Joanna Gaines, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Sources suggest that Meghan and Prince Harry's Netflix deal, which began in 2020 and runs until the end of 2025, is unlikely to be renewed. Instead, Meghan is positioning herself as a lifestyle entrepreneur, aiming to establish her own empire similar to the successes of Stewart, Gaines, and Paltrow.
Insiders speculate that while Meghan aspires to become a lifestyle guru, emulating figures like Stewart and Gaines, she must strike a balance between relatability and authenticity. To achieve this, she would have to allow viewers into her personal life, following the footsteps of Martha, Joanna, and Gwyneth, who have thrived by sharing their private spaces and divulging their closely guarded secrets. Rachel Richardson, a former Snapchat executive and writer of the Trends newsletter, emphasized the importance of creating an uncontrived and natural image, citing Drew Barrymore as an example of relatability in the industry.
As Meghan's ambitions take shape, only time will tell how her foray into the lifestyle realm unfolds and whether she can carve out her own space in the competitive landscape while capturing the essence of what has made Martha Stewart, Joanna Gaines, and Gwyneth Paltrow so successful.
