Every self-respecting party girl knows what Annie’s Ibiza is.
The Mecca of hand-embellished micro minis by Clio Peppiatt, feathered frocks with hip-height slits by Kevin Germanier, and custom designs by London’s new wave of top designers including Miss Sohee, Richard Quinn, and Conner Ives, have hung side-by-side vintage Galliano, Dior and Margiela designs since Annie Doble launched her first boutique in Ibiza’s Old Town in 2018.
Since then, she has built a client roster which counts Kate and Lila Moss, Margot Robbie and Millie Bobbie-Brown, plus London It-girls Adowa Aboah, Lola Bute and Tish Weinstock. And two years after the initial opening, Doble expanded with a second shop in Carnaby Street, Soho.
Yesterday (Friday, 17 February) Doble, elevated her offering once again. With her debut collection, she moves from boutique owner to designer herself and is set to take over St Paul’s Cathedral with her first 33-look collection at 9:30pm. “I’ve designed everything,” she says.
“I couldn’t even think in a million years that I could be doing my first show at St. Paul’s Cathedral,” continues Doble. “The guests will enter from the main entrance, the organ will play, and we have it to ourselves.” It is a no-holds-barred beginning - what else was to be expected?
The collection itself will flit between Doble’s sun-soaked islander outlook, and the antique techniques which have attracted her at auctions. “I’ve been inspired by Ottoman stitching from the 19th Century with actual gold thread, which is amazing in a dress when you think about it. The looks could be from the past or present day, which I wanted because timeless pieces are what I invest in.”
The debut show was actually postponed from last September, when Doble took the call not to show during a period of national mourning following the Queen’s death. “We’ve had a few more months to prepare, so I’ve got to really fine tune it,” she says. “This collection is very much within my mind. There’s so many elements to the collection, it’s not all one theme.”
A taste of what is to come came last Chrstmas, when Doble launched three looks from her new line. A red velvet flapper girl mini came crystal embellished with hanging, beaded tassels. Oriental embroidery made for an A-line dress and matching cape, while a ruby shade three-piece set featured short shorts, a wide collar jacket and bralette - all studded, and made for Glastonbury evenings.
Her favourite of the new designs? The Moonshine Dress. “You never see this colour - it’s a light antique sage, and a very thin chiffon silk.The dress has a tiny two-cut embroidery around the hem which is in the shape of coral. And then the front of it is beaded with dark green gems, with flowers, with pink crystals. It’s a really special summer dress.”
And there is a benefit to the belated showcase; everything on the catwalk is readily available. “The whole collection will go live as it goes down the runway, so you can buy it then and there,” she says. “Prices start at £495 and go up to £4000, for one of our couture pieces which is handmade and it’s entirely hand stitched in 3D stitch motifs.”
Be fast though. “We make everything out of whatever deadstock we have, as soon as that’s finished, that’s over. We don’t make anymore,” she says.
All that’s left to see is who will walk down the runway. Will we get a Miss Moss moment? “We’ve got some friends on the runway. But we’ve also got some really great new faces, diverse in shapes and sizes, really just embodying the Annie’s girl that we are,” she says.
