Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a visit to Nottingham. Photo / Getty
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a visit to Nottingham. Photo / Getty
When Leeanne Hundleby decided, on impulse, to send Meghan Markle a selection of handbags just a fortnight ago, it was little more than a hopeful punt.
The 45-year-old mother-of-four could never have imagined the dramatic effect it would have on the fortunes of her fledgling Scottish company, Strathberry.
At the time, as far as the public was aware, Markle was not yet engaged and had not even relocated to London, the Telegraph reports.
Fast forward two weeks and the American actress was strolling along a packed Nottingham street on her first public engagement alongside her fiance, Prince Harry, clutching none other than a Strathberry bag.
For the small company, which husband and wife team Guy and Leeanne Hundleby, gave up their jobs to launch in 2013, the effect was off-the-scale.
The bag, a tri-colour leather midi tote costing £495 (NZ$970), sold out within minutes. Markle had not only put them on the map but catapulted them into a league of which many designers can only dream.
"It's just amazing for us, it really is the greatest," a spokeswoman for the brand told the Telegraph.
"It was a fantastic surprise and we are really excited. We're suddenly incredibly busy."
The immediate effect on sales was proof, if any was needed, that Markle would drive as much demand for the labels she chooses as the Duchess of Cambridge, whose outfits invariably ensure designers benefit from the "Kate effect".
Strathberry was the brainchild of Mr and Mrs Hundleby, 46 and 45 respectively, who launched the brand from a studio attached to the family home they share with their four children and dog in Edinburgh.
They founded the company in 2013, having noticed that Scotland was lacking a standout international luxury accessories brand.
Sales of the Strathberry bag have soared since Meghan Markle was seen with one. Photo / AP
Although neither had a background in fashion - she worked as a consultant in the financial sector and he ran a production company - they had always been keen to build a brand together.
They began by making intricate paper models of their first designs and chose to incorporate a signature metal bar, inspired by the leather sheet music folios of musicians and performers, in every design.
Having spent many months travelling around Spain when their children were younger, they had come across many families who had worked with leather through generations and whose skills and understanding of the material they found "unparalleled".
As such, they chose to work with some of those manufacturers, who continue to handcraft their products, each bag taking up to 20 hours to make.
The Hundlebys worked closely with high profile fashion bloggers from the outset and soon built up a cult online following, particularly in China.
In 2015, when they decided to expand their brand, they turned to Kickstarter, an online crowd funding platform for creative projects.
Strathberry turned out to be one of the top three most funded UK fashion projects on the site with more than 500 backers pledging in excess of £120,000 (NZ$235,290).
They now sell their collections, which includes more than 100 bags, at upmarket department stores in the US, China, Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong, as well as in their Edinburgh showroom.
Their most recent collection was strongly influenced by nature and "the beauty of the Scottish wilderness in winter", Guy Hundleby said.
The small band of celebrities who have been spotted with a Strathberry bag include Paloma Faith, Lily Allen, Karen Gillan and Helena Christensen.
The couple has admitted that financially, there have been tough times as they have developed the brand.
Now though, thanks to Markle, the challenge will be keeping up with demand.
