Must Read: Meghan Markle Invests in Cesta Collective, Alexa Chung and Madewell Revive Collaboration

These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Thursday.

Meghan Markle invests in Cesta Collective
Meghan Markle is handbag brand Cesta Collective's first equity investor and strategic partner. Cesta Collective works with female artisans in Rwanda who use locally-sourced materials to weave each bag by hand. "Courtney and Erin have a really incredible and strategic business," Markle said in a statement. "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. 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. Erin and Courtney have a great pedigree from their careers working in fashion and have created beautiful products that equally help so many others. That was something I could get behind and support." {Fashionista inbox}

Alexa Chung and Madewell revive collaboration
As a writer, designer, style icon and self-described "geriatric 'It' girl," Alexa Chung has lived many lives in the fashion industry, and now she's returning to collaborate with Madewell after last partnering with the brand in 2010 and 2011. Releasing on Sept. 4, the first half of the nearly 30-piece capsule collection features high-rise flared jeans, button-down shirts, long denim skirts and dresses ranging in price from $128 to $850. The collection is filled with timeless basics that are more subdued than some of the designs Chung has previously created, and the second half of the collection is slated to drop in November. {The New York Times}

Fashion returns to modesty
Following the maximalism trend of the post-Covid era, modesty is back in style due to a lackluster stock market, a cost of living crisis, the quiet luxury trend and the surge of tradwife content. Economist George Taylor created the hemline index in 1926, which posits that when clothing hemlines rise, so does the stock market. As the U.S. eyes an impending difficult economic environment, fashion brands like Valentino, Ferragamo, Moschino, Gucci and Alberta Ferretti are turning to more modest silhouettes. {WWD/paywalled}

RaiseFashion spotlights BIPOC designers with NYFW return
RaiseFashion, a nonprofit offering resources and support to BIPOC-owned brands, will hold a New York Fashion Week event showcasing Black creativity at House of Sound on Sept. 4. This event aims to help retailers, editors, brands and media professionals engage with RaiseFashion's designers, which include Fe Noel, Charles Harbison, Advisry and many more. Alongside partner Abercrombie & Fitch, the event features previews of designers' Spring 2025 collections. {WWD/paywalled}

What to do when your product goes viral
Having a viral product can be both a dream and a struggle for up-and-coming brands who achieve widespread visibility at the cost of keeping up with flooding orders and perpetual restocks. Going from a small-scale brand to an overnight sensation can be difficult to navigate, and weathering the surge to achieve longevity is key. Though it's hard to predict which product may become a standout, brands who can identify a trend and respond accordingly can boost their viral momentum. {Business of Fashion/paywalled}

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