Addison! Rihanna! Clairo! Miss Claire Sullivan is for main characters only

Claire Sullivan used to be self-conscious about how loud and expressive she could be, but through her work on eponymous label Miss Claire Sullivan, she’s gotten over it. The former Vaquera designer, who bowed out of the NYC label in the midst of the pandemic, is carving out a niche for herself as crowned queen of unapologetically frou-frou fashion. You might not be familiar with her name just yet, but you’ll have definitely spotted it up and down your Instagram feed across the course of the last year. 

Sullivan has transformed Addison Rae into a runaway bride at the 2024 VMAs, before kitting her out in polka dots for her debut Coachella performance, and Rihanna, Ice Spice, and Clairo are also fans. “The Miss Claire Sullivan person is someone who is comfortable being the centre of attention,” the designer explains over the phone, when she dials in from her Brooklyn studio a few weeks before the SS26 season kicks off. “My clothes are for someone who’s in their main character era.”

Despite pledging her allegiances to New York at a time when many young designers are leaving due to rising costs, a lack of support, and some pretty questionable politics, this week, Sullivan brought a swathe of her silk taffeta and lace confections to Europe, as she set up shop in Dover Street Market’s Paris outpost. 

Currently working on a made-to-measure custom basis, a ready-to-wear line might not be too far in the distance, as she takes PFW’s SS26 season as an opportunity to get her wares in front of the countless international buyers who flock to the French capital for the shows. And just across the Channel, she’s also having another big moment, thanks to Lady Gaga. Currently taking her Mayhem Ball around the world, Mother Monster looked to Sullivan to create a bunch of standout looks for what critics are calling her best tour in a long time. 

You’re probably going to be seeing a lot more of Sullivan from here on out, so get to know her better in a conversation that spans Gossip Girl inspo, fave nightspots, dancing in her kitchen, and dream dinner party guests.

For me, inspiration comes from physically draping. I draped a piece that we made for Addison [Rae] recently, and it had been a while since I had put my hands on the form, and I was just like ‘Oh my god, this is exactly where I need to be right now’” – Claire Sullivan

Taking it back to the start, how did you get into fashion in the first place? 

It really was instinctual from the start for me. I remember, when I was a kid, asking my mom how to draw a shirt, and I would just sit at the table and draw all day when I was little. Then I eventually got those little paper doll dress-up games and got into those, and the online ones too – I was obsessed with Hannah Montana’s Closet for so long. 

When I was a bit older, I definitely went through a phase in high school when I was  kind of questioning it because I went to an arts school and got really into painting and sculpture and was like ‘Wait, do I really want to do fashion?’ I was worried it was going to be superficial. But then I went to the [Savage Beauty] McQueen exhibition at the Met and that solidified that fashion can also be art for me. 

I was the same. My mum kept all my little fashion drawings. Did yours? 

I don’t know actually! But I learned to sew when I was seven or so, making little baby pillows and paper wallets and stuff like that. I definitely still have those.

Who did you look up to from a fashion standpoint? Like, who were your ‘style icons’ when you were in high school? 

The biggest influence for me in high school was Gossip Girl. I was obsessed with Blair and Jenny. I basically modelled myself after Jenny Humphrey. I was sewing clothes in my basement and I wasn’t very cool – I didn’t have a lot of friends and felt very much like an outsider – so she was a big influence for me. But actually when I was even younger I somehow got really into Audrey Hepburn. So there was also this kind of classic, old film-style influence as well. And I loved reading Nylon magazine back then. I thought it was the coolest thing. 

Do you have a favourite Audrey Hepburn film? 

I actually really love Roman Holiday. But obviously Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a classic. 

You were a massive part of Vaquera. Why did you make the decision to go it alone and do your own thing?

I didn't actually set out with the intention of doing my own thing. I think it was, like, a mutual decision, especially during COVID. I feel like so many things were revealed to us then – what was working, and where things were starting to feel not so alive. So we just made the decision not to continue working together. I didn’t have a plan at that point, which was scary but also the jump start I needed. Eventually, I started working with a friend, who’s an artist, who asked me to style her for something. She gave me a brief and I just thought ‘I should make something custom for this, because it’s so specific’. Then after that, I just kept on making things and it all just organically grew – more people were coming to me, editorial stuff started coming through. I believe in slow growth, and that everything that was put in my path was put there at the right time.

A lot more designers seem to be standing up to the pressure of constantly creating in this industry, whether that’s just having one show a year, or committing to mostly making custom pieces. You want to grow slowly, as you say, but where do you see this going? Do you feel like you might join the show schedule, for example?

I really, really enjoy where I've positioned myself in the industry, and I adore making seasonal collections and working in that way, but it's really liberating to work in the way that I work right now. We’ll see what happens I think, but right now, I don’t see myself working in a way that I am beholden to the calendar. 

What about inspiration? Where do you find it?

For me it comes from physically draping. The last time I felt really inspired was when I was working. I draped a piece that we made for Addison [Rae] recently, and it had been a while since I had put my hands on the form, and I was just like ‘Oh my god, this is exactly where I need to be right now’. I also love to just get beautiful fabric and drape it on myself. It’s a lot of playing dress-up and fantasy. Beyond that, I have my libraries that I love to go to, and I find a lot of inspiration in socialising and dancing and being out. I don’t think inspiration has to be directly linked to a visual reference.

“I love New York. It’s definitely not over, and probably never will be” – Claire Sullivan

Where do you like hanging out in New York at the moment? Where is fun to go dancing?

I mean, there’s the classics like Basement and Nowadays. But I was dancing in my kitchen this morning. I’ll dance anywhere. I do love Soul Summit, though, and my favourite party is just this house music party that happens in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn.

What were you dancing to this morning? Or what song are you obsessed with right now? 

“Take My Hand” by Dido, from the iconic White Flag album.

You’ve worked with Addison a lot now. Do you work in a collaborative way? Or does she come to you with an idea to execute?

It’s kind of like a threeway between Addison, myself, and Dara (Allen, Rae’s stylist and Interview magazine fashion director). Addison definitely has a vision and she really understands herself and what she wants, and like me she has a deep appreciation for the clubs, which makes for a really beautiful synergy. There’s a lot of trust, and usually it will start with Dara sending references of something Addison had in mine, and then I’ll propose something. We’re usually pretty aligned.

Had you worked with Dara before? She;s one of the most exciting stylists out there right now.

We’d never worked together, but she had definitely pulled pieces and used out stuff in editorials. We’ve been friendly for a while, just through the New York scene, but it was super fun to work with her properly.

What about the Coachella look you made for Addison. It was so mega!

Addison knew she wanted pink polka dots. And I was like ‘OK, perfect – I”m the polka dot queen’. We wanted it to feel flirty, playful, very alive – with the little lingerie references, and the dramatic bustle, I think that came off. I was actually the fit model for that one, so I got to try it on before it went off to Addison. It felt very good to dance in!

Who is the Miss Claire Sullivan woman?

There’s no individual person that I’m like ‘Oh, I need to dress them’ about. At the moment it seems to be more about the energy that I’m putting out, because everyone that has approached me has been so aligned with what I do, which is a really beautiful thing. I didn’t ever have Addison on my mind as someone I wanted to dress, but when she did come to me it opened up the door to a really beautiful relationship. It was the same with Clairo.

Part of what the Miss Claire Sullivan world is about is building looks and tailoring them to unique personalities. So while there is definitely a distinct vision, and an undeniable femininity, it’s not even about boxing it in so it’s just a woman, you know? I think it’s someone who is comfortable being the centre of attention, someone who’s in their main character era, and who’s really, really unapologetic about that. I personally used to feel guilty about being expressive and loud, and I’d be really self-conscious about being looked at as a certain way. I think, in some way, working like this is kind of giving myself permission to be like that.

You’re mostly working on this custom basis, on a lot of red carpet looks. Do you have a favourite red carpet moment from the annals of fashion history? 

I’m not sure I have one favourite moment, but I feel like Lil’ Kim is the queen of the red carpet. I think all her red carpet looks in the 90s were so iconic and she really changed the game for what the red carpet can be. Björk, as well. Again, no specific look, but she always really did her own thing.

“Addison knew she wanted pink polka dots. And I was like ‘OK, perfect – I”m the polka dot queen’” – Claire Sullivan

Would you ever want to take over a house in the future? 

Yeah, 100% – Chanel.

Oh my god that would be mega. What main characters would you want at your dream dinner party? 

Definitely Meryl Streep. Jennifer Coolidge. And then, not that anyone would know them, but my two gay dads, because they’re the ones who taught me about dinner parties. 

Did you have a freakum dress growing up? 

That’s so hard. When I was growing up I was always trying to have something new on. But probably the dress that I remember loving the most was my Disney Princess dress. 

Makes sense! What’s your studio like? 

I'm feeling very blessed because we moved into a new studio in Brooklyn last year, and it's very open and very sunny. It feels very like, whenever people come in, they're always like, ‘Wow, there's a really nice energy in here’. All the looks are on display and I really like to organise things by colour to keep it fresh. We’re fleshing out a team right now, and I feel really supported by having a studio manager, and amazing interns and everything. I’m excited for us to keep building the energy together.

How do you feel about the fashion scene in NY right now? 

It’s interesting because a lot of people are leaving, and I get it. But I think it’s also causing a conversation about New York being ‘over’ or bleak, and I don’t think that’s the case – there’s still so much amazing stuff going on here. As people move away, I guess from a positive angle it creates the potential for more talent to pop up, and also for people who have been around for a while to finally have their moment. I’m a huge fan of Paris and Europe in general, but I love New York. It’s definitely not over, and probably never will be.