At just 32 years old, Clio Peppiatt is leaving her glittering mark on contemporary fashion. A designer who takes pride in “reworking traditional skills for a modern audience,” Peppiatt counts Kim Kardashian, Jourdan Dunn, and Blackpink’s Rosé among her influential fans.
Born in Paris, Peppiatt studied in London before starting her career as a print designer at Alexander McQueen. “I remember mending one of Lady Gaga’s jumpsuits from [McQueen]’s last collection,” she recalls. She founded her own label in 2015, specializing in embroidery—a skill that feels part of her “heritage,” she explains. “I learned embroidery from my grandmother, and my great-grandmother was a lace-maker.”
Peppiatt envisions her pieces as “an extension of ornate jewelry,” noting that “there’s something … goddess-like or regal about the idea of decorating the body in that way.” Her designs feature rich embellishment, hand beading, and eclectic motifs based on her own drawings. “Clio’s clothes caught my eye immediately,” says model Daisy Lowe, who first came across Peppiatt’s work at Carnaby boutique Annie’s Ibiza. “Each piece is a glittering fantasy.”
The brand’s Instagram following (more than 150,000 at the time of writing) has tripled since 2020, buoyed by a string of viral moments. A beaded bag from Peppiatt’s debut bridal collection, emblazoned with the words Til Death Do Us Part, has been carried by Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox at a number of high-profile events.
Two Clio Peppiatt minidresses were chosen by costume designer Alex Bovaird for Season Two of The White Lotus, worn by fan favorites Lucia (played by Simona Tabasco) and Mia (Beatrice Grannò). And 2023 ended on a high when Taylor Swift wore the label’s twinkling Night Lucina dress for her birthday. Peppiatt woke up to “hundreds of messages” from friends and supporters. “I don’t think my dad knew who Taylor Swift was … but even he was sending me articles.”
“Each piece is a glittering fantasy.”
Despite such mainstream success, the label has retained the heartbeat of rebellious femininity that’s integral to its DNA. “I have a deep admiration for women who dress as they please … defying social expectation or trends,” says Peppiatt. Her latest ready-to-wear collection was unveiled with a gloriously offbeat short film, “Bon Appétit.”
Directed by her partner, Elliott Power, it stars dancer Sonya Mohova, who contorts herself wildly around the Gothic splendor of Horace Walpole’s Strawberry Hill House in a series of Clio Peppiatt pieces.
The brand has also made strides in the bridal market, presenting a winning alternative to tulle traditionalism. “I had tried on a ton of dresses.... Nothing felt like ‘me,’” says writer Annie Werner, who chose custom Clio Peppiatt for her wedding. “I want to wear this dress every year on our anniversary no matter where we go. A dive? Le Bernardin? I don’t care!”
Peppiatt’s second bridal collection is coming soon, she reveals. “Up to this point we’ve focused solely on the after-party dresses,” she says, but the upcoming capsule features pieces designed to be “worthy of a main event!” Welcome news for would-be brides beguiled by Peppiatt’s signature blend of beauty and bite.
Hope Coke is a writer living in London.