Annie Doble, the founder of vintage treasure trove Annie’s Ibiza, and London-based designer Clio Peppiatt yearned for a dancefloor during the pandemic. Their customers did, too. “Over the last few months we’ve seen a massive increase in demand for really special, individual party pieces.” Clio tells British Vogue. “I love that people are embracing getting dressed up and the power in that!”
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To celebrate the party mood, the pair has collaborated on a new 12-piece collection of disco-worthy dresses inspired by Victorian fairies. This isn’t their first joint fashion venture. In the past, they have worked on several exclusive styles for Annie’s store and, earlier this year, they created a wedding look for Clara Paget. “This collaboration is a natural extension of working closely together over the last four years,” explains Annie.
Annie floated the idea of a fully-fledged partnership this time last year at Clio’s studio in Notting Hill. “I mentioned we should do fairies, as I was always inspired by the fairy books my parents used to read me as a child,” explains Annie, who cites Cicely Mary Baker’s A Flower Fairy Alphabet as the reason behind her whimsical obsession. “It was by complete coincidence that Clio was planning her next collection on fairies, so we thought let’s do that together. [It was] a match made in heaven.”
The duo scoured Annie’s expansive archive – focusing specifically on the late 18th-century, the Victorian era, 1920s and 1930s – for further inspiration. “Making something feel timeless is important to me,” asserts Annie.
Artworks by William Blake and Richard Dadd were on the moodboard, as well as Annie’s muse Sarah Qaisar, who regularly features in her campaigns and shoots. Corsets seen throughout the collection are the most obvious vintage nod, but are given a modern update with snaking crystals, pearls and silver work.
Other sweet decorative details include wildflowers, butterflies, ladybirds and bows. One particular silk dress – “perfect for twirling and dancing” – is emblazoned with a scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, painted by Sir Joseph Noel Paton in 1849. Annie and Clio even launched an exclusive accessory to accompany their 2021 party wardrobe: a ruched pouch embroidered with creatures and fairies.
“I think we just designed exactly what our hearts felt, incorporating the enchanted Victorian paintings that Clio and I both love so much,” says Annie. Clio adds: “It was more so about capturing that romantic, magical feeling of the paintings. Rather than focus my work around particular events or people, I normally design with this question in mind: ‘Will this still feel beautiful and be treasured in 20, 50, 80 years time?’”
Most of the collection has been under wraps until the launch date (20 October), but Lila Moss and Jourdan Dunn requested looks for their birthdays. They, accordingly, named a dress after Lila, whose supermodel mother Kate Moss is a loyal customer at Annie’s store in Ibiza. Kate visited the celebrity hotspot with Lila in the summer. “I was working all day and dancing all night,” shares the vintage queen.
Those jetting to Ibiza soon can browse the collection at Annie’s on Carrer de la Santa Creu, while Londoners can head to Annie’s Carnaby Street store, which opened just before lockdown, to pick out their favourite pieces. The full collection is also available to shop online at Anniesibiza.com.
