This season’s With Love, Meghan has a fresh vibe. From stationery to jewelry, and a call to slow down and reconnect.
With Love, Meghan, Season Two. Netflix.
Netflix PR
She’s back. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, returns to Netflix this Tuesday, August 26, 2024, with a new season of her hit lifestyle cooking series, With Love, Meghan.
Once again, I was invited as a Forbes Contributor to preview the full season, and it is a powerful, positive, sensory-filled education in lifestyle, cooking, and connecting from start to finish.
Meghan is more commanding and confident this time around—her preppy-chic wardrobe and carefully curated soundtrack add polish, while the guest lineup gives the show depth and warmth. Chrissy Teigen brings that “sister-friend” laughter and joy, and her hubby, John Legend, makes a surprise cameo, too.
Better still, culinary stars David Chang and Christina Tosi cook up great small-bite delights fit for any kitchen. If that line-up isn’t enough, holistic wellbeing author Jay Shetty and his wife, Radhi Devlukia Shetty, dabble in the culinary arts this season with great curry-flavored dishes from India. And, the real treat is a cameo with British Michelin-chef, Clare Smyth, who runs Core, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Notting Hill, London. Smyth makes a grand appearance on the show and teaches Meghan how to cook some savory eats, as they clean fish together.
I even picked up a new skill: how to steam a fried egg so it stays soft in the center but crisp at the edges. And, oh, how I cannot wait to do the water-marbling with my young Godsons Zach and Chris. Beyond food, Meghan leans into creativity and connection—jewelry-making, the lost art of handwritten notes, gift wrapping, bookbinding, and the timeless appeal of stationery.
But what struck me most this season is her insistence on connection. Whether it’s breaking bread, writing a note, or sharing a laugh with friends, Meghan reminds us that small rituals matter. And the timing feels intentional. As summer fades and we head into the last quarter of 2025, we need light, laughter, and love now, more than ever.
Here’s the thing: the Netflix series is only part of the story. What’s unfolding here is the next phase of a lifestyle empire Meghan has been building long before she married Prince Harry. From her early days running The Tig, a blog devoted to food, travel, and inspiration, to today’s As Ever brand, Meghan Sussex has shown how influence, when paired with discipline, can evolve into enterprise.
From The Tig to As Ever
The Tig (2014–2017) was the foundation: Meghan as curator, tastemaker, and storyteller. It gave her credibility and community. Now, with As Ever, she has scaled those instincts into a full-fledged lifestyle line. Trademarks filed under As Ever cover everything from teas, spreads, and candles to home goods, cookbooks, and stationery. She isn’t selling just products—she’s selling a way of living.
The Soft-Luxury Strategy
In spring 2025, the debut As Ever collection—spreads, teas, honey, and baking mixes—sold out in under 24 hours. Analysts noted this wasn’t about prestige pricing but emotional resonance. Meghan tapped directly into the “little treat economy”: small indulgences that carry outsized meaning.
Her strategy is clear: position As Ever as intimate, accessible luxury. A jar of jam or a box of tea isn’t just food; it’s a connection point, a ritual of slowing down, a gesture of care. That intimacy is her competitive edge.
Netflix as a Brand Amplifier
With Love, Meghan doubles as global marketing. Every cooking segment, garden scene, or note-writing interlude links back to As Ever. Just Monday afternoon, the brand announced that it was releasing a fresh Jam product that would go on sale, Tuesday, the same day as the series re-launched. Netflix provides the reach and credibility; her products provide the tangibility. It’s a case study in content and commerce integration—where the story and the product become inseparable.
Influence to Brand Investment
While As Ever grows, Meghan has also used her platform to invest in female-founded and artisan brands, such as Cesta Collective. When Meghan carries or endorses a product, it often sells out—a testament to the conversion power of her influence. By putting capital behind her values, she is moving from influencer to investor.
For entrepreneurs, the lesson is clear: don’t stop at partnerships or sponsorships. Use visibility to build ownership, whether through equity stakes, strategic collaborations, or your own line.
The Discipline of Growth
Despite early sell-outs, Meghan has resisted over-expansion. After her first drop, she paused to gather consumer data and refine her next move. That kind of restraint is rare—and smart. Scarcity drives desire, but discipline builds durability.
Her 2025 rosé release tested that balance: it sold steadily, though not instantly, proving that not every product will ride on hype alone. The business takeaway? Momentum must be managed, not assumed.
What’s Next for As Ever
With what Meghan unveiled in the series this season, it appears As Ever may be expanding. Segments featuring stationery, journals, and book-making suggest new product lines that revive the art of handwriting in a digital world. She also highlighted gift wrapping and presentation, extending her lifestyle ethos into the act of giving. And the coup de grâce was jewelry-making—hinting at an entry into higher-value, luxury-adjacent categories.
If those cues translate into products, As Ever could evolve into a 360° lifestyle ecosystem: small indulgences like jams and wine can be complemented with stationery and journals, balanced with aspirational luxuries like jewelry. It’s a formula familiar from Martha Stewart and the late B’Smith, but with Meghan’s unique brand of intimacy and global visibility.
Lessons for Influencers and Entrepreneurs
Meghan Sussex’s lifestyle production playbook shows us that influence may be fleeting — but strategic, focused, branding that connects people endures. Here are 5 keys to building a lifestyle brand that lasts.
Start with storytelling. Authenticity creates trust.
Own your brand. Influence is fleeting; equity endures.
Integrate platforms. Content fuels commerce when aligned.
Leverage scarcity. Limited drops create demand, but quality sustains it.
Grow with discipline. Expansion guided by data beats hype every time.
Bottom line: Meghan Sussex isn’t just making jam or great TV. She’s showing us how a lifestyle brand, when carefully cultivated and strategically scaled, can become a global business. With Love, Meghan may stream on Tuesdays, but the brand she’s building under As Ever is streaming 24/7.
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