Happy 5th birthday, Miss Claire Sullivan! To ring in the occasion, the designer and 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist took over Dover Street Market for a night filled with go-go dancers, Starface stickers, New York Liberty’s Ellie the Elephant, and a special surprise performance from Zsela.
Over the last five years, Sullivan has had plenty of pinch-me moments, but it’s when she takes a step back and catches a quiet moment alone in her studio that she feels everything begin to click. “I think when the Addison Rae VMAs look happened, that was a really pivotal moment for the brand in terms of people looking at it for custom and performance, but honestly, when it resonates the most is when I sit still and look around my studio and think about a 15-year-old Claire sewing in her basement at her mom’s house,” she said.
The evening also toasted to the designer’s new release of ready-to-wear pieces, including a frilly black bolero, pearl necklace, and bag charms, all welcome additions to the Miss Claire Sullivan universe. The hero item is undoubtedly the Angel T-shirt, a form-fitting wardrobe staple spiced up by ruffled lace shoulders.
“I always said I was going to die on this hill—I wasn’t going to make a T-shirt, but we definitely have noticed an appetite for people wanting to be able to buy something and add it to their cart,” said Sullivan.
This is not to say that the brand is shifting away from the bespoke experience, merely expanding its range of possibilities as Sullivan sees fit. “The biggest thing that I’ve learned is to trust my intuition,” she reflected. “I’m doing something in a different way.” Here’s to the next five years, and many more.