scorecardSales are soaring at Meghan Markle's favorite affordable brand. Here's everything you need to know about it.
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Sales are soaring at Meghan Markle's favorite affordable brand. Here's everything you need to know about it.

Aritzia was founded in Vancouver in 1984.

Sales are soaring at Meghan Markle's favorite affordable brand. Here's everything you need to know about it.

Since then, the company has grown to have 65 stores in Canada and 22 in the US.

Since then, the company has grown to have 65 stores in Canada and 22 in the US.

Aritzia did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on whether it has plans to grow in the US.

The store sells a mix of its own labels ...

The store sells a mix of its own labels ...

... in addition to well-known brands such as Adidas and Levi's.

... in addition to well-known brands such as Adidas and Levi

On average, its stores are 6,000 square feet in size and have the feel of an upmarket Urban Outfitters.

On average, its stores are 6,000 square feet in size and have the feel of an upmarket Urban Outfitters.

Markle seems to favor two of the store's more expensive brands: Wilfred and Babaton, which offer simple and sleek designs costing between $30 for a T-shirt and $195 for a trench coat or blazer.

Markle seems to favor two of the store

Markle wore a burgundy Aritzia dress for her first public appearance with Prince Harry at the Invictus Games in September 2017.

Markle wore a burgundy Aritzia dress for her first public appearance with Prince Harry at the Invictus Games in September 2017.

At the time, she was praised for taking on Middleton's attitude to fashion and wearing more accessible clothing. This dress cost $185.

Markle was later photographed in a Babaton Lawson trench coat at the Invictus Games in April this year. The coat sold out in six hours.

Markle was later photographed in a Babaton Lawson trench coat at the Invictus Games in April this year. The coat sold out in six hours.

According to fashion search engine Lyst, consumer searches for the Aritzia brand have been up 68% in the past year.

The biggest spike in searches occurred in April, in the 24 hours after Markle wore the Babaton trench coat, a spokesperson for Lyst told Business Insider.

And it's not just Markle: Aritzia has other royal fans. Princess Beatrice was photographed in one of its leather biker jackets in June.

And it

It's unclear whether Aritzia will continue to reap the rewards of having a royal fan. During the investors' call earlier this month, CFO Todd Ingledew said that now that the Duchess of Sussex is based in the UK, she may feel the pressure to support local designers there. Moreover, Markle's fashion sense seems to have shifted to more high-end designers such as Givenchy and Dior.

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"I imagine there's other pressures being in the royal family and living in the UK and supporting the designers there. So at this point in time really I don't think it's something we can push," Ingledew said during the call.

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