Meghan Markle has recently garnered attention for her investment in Cesta Collective, a Rwandan handbag brand that empowers female artisans. Known for her keen investment choices and advocacy, Markle has become Cesta Collective's first equity investor and strategic partner, said Courtney Weinblatt Fasciano, who co-founded the luxury bag company with Erin Ryder in 2018. Markle’s investment is not merely financial. She expressed her admiration for Cesta Collective’s ethos. “Courtney and Erin have a really incredible and strategic business. The quality of a brand's products, the supply chain, ethical standards and practices, these are all things that I consider before making an investment,” Markle told The New York Times. “With Cesta, I really started to understand how many women's lives were being impacted and uplifted through their work. That was incredibly important to me.” Cesta Collective, which specializes in basket bags that are handwoven by a collective of women in Rwanda and finished in Italy. Meghan originally discovered the brand while online shopping. “I spend a lot of time just Googling, looking for brands, when people are online looking for things or reading things, I’m trying to find great new designers, especially in different territories,” she said. In May 2023, Meghan attended a dinner date with Cameron Diaz, Gwyneth Paltrow, and their spouses, wearing a Cesta bag. Following the event, the bag gained significant attention. Cesta's founders, (Erin Weinblatt), observed a surge in interest almost immediately. “We were heading to Mexico for a book shoot,” Ryder told The New York Times. “As soon as we landed and connected to the internet, we saw that this previously slow-selling style was completely sold out. We received a flood of ‘back in stock' sign-ups. We realized something must have triggered this surge, so Courtney investigated online. We ended up with more sales in one day than ever before.” The founders expressed their gratitude by sending Meghan a thank-you note. This led to a budding relationship, and this summer, Meghan agreed to become Cesta’s first external investor. While she did not disclose the amount invested or her ownership percentage, Ryder and Fasciano confirmed that Meghan holds a minority stake in the company. A company dedicated to transforming lives through handcrafted accessories, the brand’s handbags are made from organic, vegetable-dyed sisal, not only support the local economy but also provide female artisans with. Each bag takes three to seven days to create, with intricate color-block patterns that highlight the artisans' exceptional skill, raising the price to $750 (Rwf 999,750) and above.
