Meghan Markle Surpasses Kate Middleton In Fashion Influence For 2017

Meghan Markle was more influential than Kate Middleton in fashion this year, according to Lyst.

Lyst has finally released its 2017 The Year in Fashion roundup, and Prince Harry's fiancée landed the fourth spot in the Influencers category. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cambridge lagged behind Markle at the fifth spot, The Express Tribune reported.

"Meghan proved her royal style credentials this year, wearing heritage British brands Barbour, Hunter and Burberry," the site said (via E! News). "She also spiked searches for lesser known labels Misha Nonoo and Finlay and Co."

On the other hand, Lyst said that Middleton "continues to spark global demand for her looks- this year caused dresses by Erdem, L.K. Bennett, Roland Mouret and Dolce & Gabbana to sell out in seconds."

Middleton and Markle's styles have been compared as the two make great choices when it comes to their ensembles. Whatever the "Suits" star and Middleton wear, they usually tend to run out of stock immediately.

Markle's influence in fashion, dubbed as Meghan Effect, was first observed after she and Prince Harry made their first public appearance as a couple at the Invictus Games in Toronto in September. The "Horrible Bosses" star sported a white button-down shirt, ripped jeans, flats and tote bag for the event.

Just a few hours after Prince Harry's fiancée was photographed in her ensemble, every item she wore ran out of stock. The same thing happened to the ensembles Markle wore during her and Prince Harry's official engagement photocall and her royal debut.

Unsurprisingly, Markle's influence in fashion has overwhelmed the brands that she opted to wear. In fact, the companies are currently struggling to meet the demands.

"The interest in the brand has been incredible," Strathberry spokesperson Leeanne Hundleby said. "The phones began ringing constantly and our visitor numbers on our website were up by around 5000 percent! It felt pretty amazing that thanks to Meghan carrying our design, people all over the world were becoming aware of Strathberry."

LINE The Label, who designed Markle's white wrap-style coat during her engagement photocall with Prince Harry, echoed her sentiments. "We are now dealing with the aftermath because everyone is trying to get it, but I don't want 10,000 white coats out there – it has to stay exclusive," John Muscat, president and co-founder of the brand, said.

Do you agree that Markle is more influential in fashion than Middleton for 2017? Drop a comment below.