For fans of singer Nick Cave, news that his wife Susie Cave’s fashion line has been a roaring success will come as no surprise. Found in 2014 to help Cave get through the death of the couple’s son, Arthur, The Vampire’s Wife has turned from made-to-order for friends into a global phenomenon for It girls.
Prairie-style, modest designs make up the bread and butter for the label, which adds a fresh twist through punchy prints or jewel-toned metallics — a far cry from anything you’d find on a real prairie, but a formula that works, and sells.
Growing slowly but steadily over the past five years, Cave has transformed her in-house designs into a bona fide business, now worn by celebrities including Alexa Chung (a repeat customer), Natalie Portman, Kylie Minogue, Keira Knightley and Olivia Wilde. Embracing the pops of colour and throwback cuts, the dresses have become something of a staple and an antidote to the ultra-sexy shapes we normally see on big names and red carpets.
Now, with her first capsule collection under her belt — with Net-A-Porter nonetheless — Cave is making her way into the public conscious, maybe even on track to become a British-esque version of Ganni or Attico — specialising in dainty dresses and pretty gowns, of course.
So next time you’re listening to Nick Cave on repeat and wondering how to become Alexa Chung, we’d recommend investing in a Vampire’s Wife dress to really complete the picture.
This story originally appeared on InStyle Australia.
