Meghan Markle Showcased Relaxed Hollywood Style for Industry Appearance

The Duchess of Sussex made a striking appearance at the entertainment industry South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas, on Friday as she took part in a panel discussion focused on the role women play in front of, and behind, the camera.

Meghan, a former actress turned producer and philanthropist, appeared alongside Brooke Shields and Katie Couric for the panel titled "Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen." The duchess spoke of her own experiences in the entertainment industry, as well as her perspective as a woman on the global stage who has faced social-media abuse.

The panel discussion tied together her entertainment industry career (formerly as an actress and now as a producer through her company Archewell Productions) with her work as a philanthropist. This latest move was both commendable and business savvy, entertainment expert and founder of MarkMeets, Mark Boardman, told Newsweek.

For the event, Meghan made an impact on-stage in a striking off-white outfit that adhered to her usual neutral-toned aesthetic.

The duchess wore a relaxed tailored "husband" shirt from the fashion brand Giuliva Heritage, which has a house ethos strongly focused on sustainability and craftsmanship. The off-white beige toned shirt featured a pale pinstripe motif and contrast white buttons. The duchess paired this with a matching full length "Lena" skirt, in striped silk, which the designer states takes six hours to make at their Italian atelier.

To accessorize, Meghan wore a pair of white flat shoes from one of her favorite design houses, Valentino, and completed the high-fashion look with a pair of gold "knot" earrings from Bottega Veneta.

Part of Meghan's contribution to the panel was a discussion of her experience as a woman who has witnessed and been the victim of online abuse.

Speaking about the challenges facing young girls navigating the digital world, the duchess acknowledged those that have been pushed to drastic action and referenced the work that she has taken part in with the Archewell foundation around this.

"Young girls are going online and drowning in this world of comparison," Meghan said, adding that "their sense of self is so small that they don't see the value of being alive."

On how she has tackled this herself, the duchess said that she has tried not to engage with what is posted about her online for her own mental health.

"It's really interesting as I can reflect on it. I keep my distance on it right now, just for my own wellbeing," she added.

"But the bulk of the bullying and abuse that I was experiencing in social media and online was when I was pregnant with [Prince] Archie and with [Princess] Lili and with a newborn, with each of them.

"And you just think about that and really wrap your head around what people would be so hateful. It's not catty; it's cruel. Why you would do that? Certainly, when you're pregnant and you have a newborn, we all as moms know it's such a tender and sacred time," Meghan added.

She went on to conclude that: "As we look at what's happening, in terms of social media, there is so much work to be done in keeping people safe, and that starts as we see what's happening with children and their exposure to things."

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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