{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1790880"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1790880/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1790880","accessionNumber":"T.7:1&2-2026","objectType":"Ensemble","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The Vampire’s Wife was founded in 2014 by former model Susie Cave (formerly Bick) and was named after an unfinished novel by her husband, the Australian singer-songwriter Nick Cave. The couple worked closely together and each of the garments was given what Susie Cave described as ‘a naming ceremony’ in which Nick Cave would assign a title to the garment. Susie Cave explained that these names ‘give the wearer a whole fantasy’.   The brand, which operated from East Sussex, folded in 2024 but in its decade-long existence Cave’s designs became popular with many high-profile celebrity and royal clients -at 2018 royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for which three high-profile guests wore her designs. The brand’s designs became so ubiquitous at award ceremonies that The Vampire’s Wife was credited with popularising a more demure look on the red carpet. As Susie Cave explained in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, ‘The shape I gravitate towards is a strong silhouette that shows the power and glory of the female form without the need to show a whole lot of flesh.’    \r\n\nCave had a small team working with her locally in Sussex and was committed to working closely with UK and European fabric producers such as Pongees silk, Smedley’s, Stephen Walters, Libertys and Klaubert lace. The brand prided itself on maintaining a high standard of production and finish, resisting commercial pressure to outsource beyond Europe to reduce production costs when demand increased. Cave paid keen attention to detail at every stage of the design and production process. Early designs were created on a pattern block based on her own body shape. Cave has described the three key design features of a dress by The Vampire’s Wife: bust darts, shoulder pads and ‘baby lock’ (where the fabric is edged with a very narrow overlocking stitch to ensure lightness at the edge of the garment). Great attention was paid to the weight and nature of the fabrics to make sure that the outer and lining fabrics did not ‘fight’ with one another. Often, as in the Falconetti dress made of bespoke Pongees silk, the same expensive fabric was used for the outer dress and the lining to avoid this problem and to keep the garment lightweight. Great effort was made to keep the correct length of the signature three-quarter length sleeve just below the elbow when size grading. \r\n\r\nThe Vampire’s Wife collaboration with H&M of 2020 included clothing and costume jewellery and quickly sold out. Cave was closely involved in the design process which took place online due to the Covid 19 pandemic social distancing restrictions. Cave was pleased that the price point could be kept low as she herself had dressed from the high street as a young girl. This lace dress and cape sold for £50 and Cave liked the design so much that she made a high-fashion version for The Vampire’s Wife, an interesting example of a high street collaboration turning full circle. ","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cave, Susie","id":"AUTH412514"},"association":{"text":"Designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"The Vampire's Wife","id":"AUTH404397"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"DwnSmallStudio","id":"THES393029"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"DwnSmallStudio","id":"THES393029"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"dress","id":"x47499"}],[{"text":"cape","id":"AAT46140"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"United Kingdom","id":"x29336"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2020","earliest":"2020-01-01","latest":"2020-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Susie Cave","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The Vampire’s Wife was founded in 2014 by former model Susie Cave (formerly Bick) and was named after an unfinished novel by her husband, the Australian singer-songwriter Nick Cave. The couple worked closely together and each of the garments was given what Susie Cave described as ‘a naming ceremony’ in which Nick Cave would assign a title to the garment. Susie Cave explained that these names ‘give the wearer a whole fantasy’.   The brand, which operated from East Sussex, folded in 2024 but in its decade-long existence Cave’s designs became popular with many high-profile celebrity and royal clients -at 2018 royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for which three high-profile guests wore her designs. The brand’s designs became so ubiquitous at award ceremonies that The Vampire’s Wife was credited with popularising a more demure look on the red carpet. As Susie Cave explained in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, ‘The shape I gravitate towards is a strong silhouette that shows the power and glory of the female form without the need to show a whole lot of flesh.’    \r\nCave had a small team working with her locally in Sussex and was committed to working closely with UK and European fabric producers such as Pongees silk, Smedley’s, Stephen Walters, Libertys and Klaubert lace. The brand prided itself on maintaining a high standard of production and finish, resisting commercial pressure to outsource beyond Europe to reduce production costs when demand increased. Cave paid keen attention to detail at every stage of the design and production process. Early designs were created on a pattern block based on her own body shape. Cave has described the three key design features of a dress by The Vampire’s Wife: bust darts, shoulder pads and ‘baby lock’ (where the fabric is edged with a very narrow overlocking stitch to ensure lightness at the edge of the garment). Great attention was paid to the weight and nature of the fabrics to make sure that the outer and lining fabrics did not ‘fight’ with one another. Often, as in the Falconetti dress made of bespoke Pongees silk, the same expensive fabric was used for the outer dress and the lining to avoid this problem and to keep the garment lightweight. Great effort was made to keep the correct length of the signature three-quarter length sleeve just below the elbow when size grading. \r\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Dress and cape in black lace, The Vampire's Wife for H&M, 2020","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Designed by Susie Cave for her label The Vampire's Wife","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.7:1-2026","T.7:2-2026"],"accessionNumberNum":"7","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2026,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-21","recordCreationDate":"2024-11-20","availableToBook":false}}