Though she’s presently most well-known for her work as an actress and singer, Suki Waterhouse’s career began in the modeling world when she was scouted at the age of 16. A 2011 Marks & Spencer lingerie campaign made Waterhouse an industry name in England, where the London-born up-and-comer already counted models like Cara Delevingne, Georgia May Jagger and Clara Paget as childhood friends.
Over the next decade, Waterhouse walked the runway for fashion houses like Balenciaga and Miu Miu, but it was her partnership with Burberry that helped to give her international recognition. Starring alongside Delevingne in the iconic British fashion house’s fall 2014 campaign, Waterhouse quickly added supporting roles onscreen to her resume, appearing in films like Love, Rosie and The Divergent Series: Insurgent.
From the beginning, Waterhouse’s red carpet looks included a mix of fresh-off-the-runway designs and custom creations—often favoring bright colors and slightly unconventional silhouettes. That approach translated to her off-duty style too, where Waterhouse’s ability to make polished pieces feel completely effortless quickly elevated her to It girl status.
“I’m always able to look at the eras and the moments that I’ve been through with clothes and have a good laugh at all the mistakes that I’ve made,” Waterhouse told Vogue Australia of being fearless when it comes to experimenting with fashion. But one thing that has remained consistent is her penchant for a retro-inspired look. “The way they’d step out at a party in the ‘60s was just unbelievable; all the vibrant colors and tiny little dresses,” Waterhouse has said of style icons like Jane Birkin and Pattie Boyd. Incorporating retro elements into her own look undoubtedly helped Waterhouse land a starring role in the Amazon Prime series, Daisy Jones & The Six, which followed the rise of a fictional rock band in the 1970s. The years-long preparation for the 2023 show ultimately pushed Waterhouse to release her first album (she had debuted her first single in 2016), leading to another place to experiment with fashion: onstage. When Waterhouse is in performance mode, the red carpet-style full-length gowns and casual dresses she’s been known to wear are replaced with leather pants and crop tops or bodysuits—almost always with a bit of sparkle involved.
From her first red carpets and fashion shows to establishing herself as an actress and singer-songwriter, take a look back at some of Waterhouse’s best style moments.
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Waterhouse’s first Burberry campaign was still a few years away, but the model became a regular among the fashion house’s front row as early as 2012. At the showing of the British luxury brand’s spring 2013 womenswear show, Waterhouse appeared to channel some of her ‘60s style icons with a chartreuse leather trench coat that she styled with oversized sunglasses, winged eyeliner and her signature fringed hairstyle worn in a bouncy blowout.
For the BAFTA Los Angeles awards, Waterhouse took a prim and proper approach in a baby-pink Emilia Wickstead gown with a mock-neck and high-low hemline. The dress, which was part of the London-based design house’s spring 2014 collection, was trimmed in tiny pink pearls, and Waterhouse paired the look with matching pink pumps, a polished low knot and soft, rosy makeup.
Reflecting on her red carpet looks in more recent years, Waterhouse has called this her “all-time favorite moment.” It certainly marked a turning point in her career—for her first Met Gala, the model (and soon-to-be Burberry campaign star) turned to Burberry’s then-creative director Christopher Bailey for a custom tiered gown in shades of powdery pink and pale nude. Waterhouse added a matte red lip for a touch of drama, but otherwise kept her beauty look more minimal with neutral shades of shimmery eyeshadow, long lashes and a knotted, slightly undone hairstyle.
A few weeks later, Waterhouse attended the Cannes Film Festival, where she opted for another strapless silhouette. This time in Dior, the model accessorized with Chopard jewelry, including oversized peacock feather-shaped diamond earrings.
Waterhouse’s next Burberry look was an icy-blue lace gown that she added a bit of edge to with exaggerated cat eyeliner and tousled waves.
Following her second Burberry campaign, Waterhouse set her sights on acting, landing a role in the second installment of The Divergent Series. For the red carpet premiere in New York City, the model-turned-actress chose a blush gown from the Reem Acra spring 2015 collection. The lacy design included a crystal-embellished bodice with side cutout detailing, which Waterhouse paired with stacks of rings and her signature cat eye-undone waves beauty combo.
Trading the runway for the front row, Waterhouse attended Burberry’s spring 2016 presentation wearing a mix of styles from the British fashion house. A silk blue midi dress worn under a cream-colored fur coat gave the model’s look a glamorous Old Hollywood vibe, while oversized sunnies and fringed boots kept the whole thing from feeling too polished.
While Waterhouse has worked with multiple stylists over the years, it was Jamie Mizrahi who helped her to first hone her red carpet and streetwear styles. For red carpets like the premiere of her 2016 film, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Waterhouse gravitated toward full gowns in softer colors—as evidenced by this sheer, floral embroidered Reem Acra design with shimmering gold trim.
In a more dressed up version of her typical off-duty style, Waterhouse paired a leopard print coat from Dsquared2 with leopard ankle strap heels for a Brit Awards after-party in London.
Waterhouse upped the glam factor at the Venice Film Festival red carpet premiere of her movie The Bad Batch, with a sequin-covered Dolce & Gabbana gown. The floor-length design got even more sparkle from the silver embellishments along the neckline, waistline and long sleeves, and Waterhouse kept her beauty look simple with a soft smoky eye and side-parted hair.
Sitting alongside Naomi Campbell and Penelope Cruz at Burberry’s spring 2017 show, Waterhouse wore a black bustier with a black lace paneled skirt (a cream version of the latter debuted on the runway during the show). A Burberry leather jacket and textured waves gave the look a rock and roll feel, and Waterhouse accessorized with black pumps and a black quilted Baby Banner bag.
While out in New York City, Waterhouse paired a pink satin Ulla Johnson dress with a pair of suede sneakers and round-frame sunglasses for a casual finish.
There are thigh-high slits, and then there’s the hip-grazing slit that Waterhouse sported at the annual Harper’s Bazaar Icons party. The dress, which was also covered in sequins, was part of Alexandre Vauthier’s fall 2016 couture collection, and Waterhouse accessorized with a matching black clutch and asymmetric pumps.
Fur coats in bold colors have long been a staple in Waterhouse’s wardrobe for nailing the ‘60s and ‘70s look. While out in Los Angeles, she made a cropped purple jacket the statement piece of her outfit by pairing it with a silk slip dress, suede pumps and fringe-embellished bag—all in neutral shades.
Never one to shy away from an unconventional look, Waterhouse wore an entirely sheer black dress to the 2017 Fashion Awards. Part of Maison Margiela’s fall 2017 couture collection, the sleeveless design also included an embellished gold bodysuit worn underneath, along with matching metallic cowboy boots.
For the Tribeca Film Festival screening of her movie Jonathan, Waterhouse chose a multicolored knit number straight off the Dior fall 2018 runway. The floor-length dress included fringe detailing along the sleeves, bodice and skirt, and Waterhouse followed the runway style with an oversized belt at the waist and a black bralette and briefs worn underneath the sheer design.
Though still several years away from Daisy Jones & The Six, Waterhouse wore a ‘70s-inspired ensemble that would have fit in perfectly with the on-screen character when she attended the Tribeca Film Festival. Sticking to a pastel palette, Waterhouse paired a crop top and skirt with her fur-trimmed Saks Potts Foxy Coat in mint and a Mark Cross Grace bag in lilac.
Waterhouse went a more casual route while attending Comic Con in 2018, with a cropped white T-shirt, printed Moschino jeans and platform sneakers.
Waterhouse wore two dresses in one when she attended the Harper’s Bazaar Icons party in a mismatched frock by Marni. Part of the Italian fashion house’s fall 2018 collection, the dress featured a hot pink cat design on one side and a bright red geometric pattern on the other that highlighted the model’s quirky sense of style. To complement both elements of the dress, Waterhouse completed the look with a red clutch and pink satin pumps.
For the NYC premiere of her film Assassination Nation, Waterhouse ditched the dresses in favor of a retro-looking suit from Dilara Findikoglu’s fall 2018 collection. The blue velvet suit featured gold embellishments throughout the jacket and pants, and Waterhouse played up the rock and roll vibes by accessorizing with platform heels and pairing her cat eyeliner with glittery blue eyeshadow.
Since the start of her modeling career, Waterhouse had made ‘60s-inspired minidresses a regular part of her look. But for the 2018 Fashion Awards, she gave the mod silhouette a high-fashion twist in a buttercup Mulberry design that included an oversized collar, embellished buttons and scalloped trim. In keeping with the aesthetic, the model and actress opted for a more dramatic smoky eye, exaggerated lashes and a bouncy blowout with plenty of volume at the crown of the head.
For the Brit Awards, Waterhouse chose a dramatic ruffled design from Rami Kadi’s spring 2019 couture collection, which included a plunging neckline, feather trimming and the slightest pop of color at the waist. So as not to compete with the gown, Waterhouse kept the accessories minimal, with just a few Tiffany & Co. rings and soft makeup and hair.
In a more formal take on the naked dress, Waterhouse wore Fendi couture to the annual Vanity Fair Oscar party. The black tulle gown included panels of velvet throughout the skirt, and a green bralette and waistband added a hint of color to the look, which the actress complemented with Chopard earrings.
Post-pandemic, Waterhouse returned to the Vanity Fair Oscars party, this time in a strapless design from Alexandre Vauthier’s spring 2022 couture collection. The crystal-embellished gown included a full-length skirt trimmed with peach-colored feathers, and Waterhouse added even more sparkle with a crystal mesh Jimmy Choo Bon Bon bag.
Following the release of her debut album I Can’t Let Go, Waterhouse headed out on tour, where she began to develop an onstage uniform of sparkling pants and bodysuits. While opening for Father John Misty in Texas, Waterhouse paired a shimmering black blazer and trouser set with a cropped white tank top.
The Daisy Jones & The Six press tour served as the perfect opportunity for Waterhouse (and styling team Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn) to play with ‘70s-inspired silhouettes. For the Los Angeles premiere of the series, the actress opted for a flowy, emerald-green gown from the Stéphane Rolland spring 2023 couture collection. The entirely sheer design included an embellished plunging neckline with a matching bodysuit underneath, and Waterhouse accessorized with gold jewelry, a peachy matte lip and a boho hairstyle.
Following weeks of retro looks, Waterhouse returned to over-the-top glamour on the red carpet while attending the Vanity Fair Oscar party. Once again styled by Zangardi and Haenn, Waterhouse wore a sequin embroidered gown from the Elie Saab fall 2022 couture collection, which included an oversized flower along the halter neckline and open back detailing. To complete the look, the actress accessorized with diamond earrings and rings by Reza and a matte red lip.
After attending the Dior fall 2023 menswear show together at the very end of 2022, Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson officially made their red carpet debut at the 2023 Met Gala. In keeping with the exhibition theme, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” Waterhouse selected a floral embroidered silk tulle dress from one of Lagerfeld’s final collections with Fendi. To match the colors of the embroidery, Waterhouse sported a more elaborate makeup look with a mix of pastel eyeshadows in pink, purple and green hues, and she completed the ensemble with several colorful cocktail rings by Reza.
While performing at the Austin City Limits music festival, Waterhouse doubled down on the sparkle in a shimmering pink bodysuit and silver thigh-high boots.
Just a few weeks after announcing that she and Pattinson were expecting their first child while performing in Mexico, Waterhouse attended the Fashion Awards in London. Keeping her baby bump hidden, the singer-songwriter opted for a burgundy tulle gown from H&M. The strapless dress was part of the retailer’s holiday capsule collection (though slightly altered for Waterhouse’s red carpet appearance), and Waterhouse added matching Aquazzura platforms and several pieces of jewelry from Tiffany & Co.
Waterhouse went bold with her maternity look at the 2024 Emmy Awards, where she joined her Daisy Jones & the Six cast to celebrate the series’ nominations. Dressed in a Valentino-red gown from the fashion house’s spring 2023 couture collection, Waterhouse shared that the dress had to undergo quite a bit of tailoring to accommodate her growing baby bump. “They really had to take it apart and redesign it to make it fit,” Waterhouse noted of the dramatic gown, which included cutout detailing and an oversized bow that perfectly highlighted her baby bump.
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