ALEXANDRA SHULMAN'S NOTEBOOK: The It Dress that can soon turn into a Past-It Dress By Alexandra Shulman, Mail on Sunday Published: 23:29 BST, 25 May 2024 | Updated: 23:29 BST, 25 May 2024 e-mail View comments The dangers of the It Dress are illustrated by the sad collapse of The Vampire’s Wife clothing brand. Only a year ago the label, designed by ex-model Susie Cave, was one of the most high profile in the world. Her signature dress, with its basic structure of tight bodice, tiered hem and narrow shoulders, was worn by women including the Princess of Wales (who glittered in her the Vampire’s green and cyclamen sequins), singers Kylie Minogue and Ellie Goulding , actress Rachel Weisz and the seemingly countless women who snapped up versions of the Falconetti dress as their go-to for parties, weddings and special events.
The dress appeared to have pulled off the trick of keeping up appeal for celebrities while still being worn by the public. Of course, many of those well-known wearers would have been gifted or loaned the dresses rather than paying for them, and Covid ran a scythe through the dressing-up that these dresses were best suited to. But the larger problem was that the design was cannibalised by its own success and became a template for a range of middle-market dresses that copied Cave’s structured top, flowing hem and flounced sleeves.
The It Dress designed by Susie Cave was the go-to dress for special events, worn by women including the Princess of Wales Pictu.
