Meet the Designers Behind Poster Girl, the It-Brand Dua Lipa and Kylie Jenner Love

If there was any lingering doubt that women can be strong, powerful, and fearless, the past few years have solidly put it to rest. Today, ladies are most certainly wearing the pants, at least figuratively speaking. Literally, however, they’re more likely to be found in one of Poster Girl’s latest creations. Francesca Capper and Natasha Somerville, founders and creative directors of the it-brand, know a thing or two about fashion, and the popularity of their of-the-moment brand is clear proof.

After celebrities like Dua Lipa and Kylie Jenner began wearing their dresses, their role in making must-have clothes was cemented. Here, Capper and Somerville take L'OFFICIEL  through the creation of Poster Girl and what it's like to be a badass duo in the fashion industry

L'O: You met while studying at Central St Martins; what sparked the idea of Poster Girl?

Francesca Capper & Natasha Somerville: During our time in the Womenswear course at CSM, we often worked together on group projects or as a pair. It felt like a natural progression to create our own label together, which typically enough was decided on before a night out. We wrote an entire range plan on the back of a receipt and started ordering materials and designing the debut collection the next day!

L'O: Where does the name come from?

FC&NS: From the classic notion of "Poster Girl" which represents a forefront figure of a movement. In our case, the Poster Girl is a representation of wildly confident, bodacious feminine beings who do not waiver in the face of mundane judgement.

L'O: What’s it like working together?

FC&NS: We wouldn't have it any other way! The saying "stronger together" certainly works for us. Our work ethic is relentless and when it comes to design, we bounce off each other really well. It’s so rare to find creative synergy with someone else and we are forever grateful for finding that in each other!

L'O: London is not just a city, it’s a way of life. How does the capital influence your work?

FC&NS: We are blessed to be from such an artistic city and to be surrounded by incredible creatives. The grittiness that comes with London living certainly influences our designs and helps add a touch of humour and fun. For us, it's really important to keep a majority of manufacturing in London and to support local businesses, along with maintaining a high ethical standard.

L'O: How do romance and eroticism fit into your collections?

FC&NS: It's a way of expressing our femininity through the designs. Eroticism can certainly be seen, which is an important part of self expression, fashion’s ultimate purpose. It's also a nod towards our feminine peers who need reminding of their own sex appeal at times. A majority of our customers will say how sexy and confident they feel when they wear our clothes.

L'O: Self-confidence is the key of Poster Girl. How important is it to love yourself and how can fashion help people who struggle with self-love?

FC&NS: It’s number one. Everyone needs that reminder! Confidence in yourself helps open new energy of freedom and inner happiness, which is necessary to gain from within rather than from others. We all struggle from time to time with self-love, but fashion is an outlet that can revive inner self-confidence

L'O: Your woman is sexy, sensual, irreverent and free to wear what she wants without concern about what other people might think. Who are the women that inspire you the most?

FC&NS: The Poster Girls that we have dressed and see wearing our clothes are honestly our number one inspiration! It’s always incredible to see the customers trying on our creations and seeing how it makes them feel: super confident, sexy, and energised.

L'O: What is your favourite phase of the creative process?

FC&NS: The initial stages like research and forming the bones of the collection. Also seeing how things can really change and come together in the final hour. Although at times that can be super stressful, it's also when we come up with some of our best ideas—like being in a pressure cooker!

L'O: Although we are heading towards a new era for women, being business women is still no picnic. Have you ever faced difficulties or experienced discrimination just for being girls?

FC&NS: More times than we can count! Most of the time it's an assumption that we are just two girls who are friends wanting to make some dresses. From factories to suppliers to sales and day-to-day logistics, a leading misconception is not realizing or appreciating our level of experience.

L'O: Your clothes have now been worn by many global superstars, like Dua Lipa and Kylie Jenner, just to name a few. Do you remember the first time someone “big” wore Poster Girl?

FC&NS: Dua Lipa has supported our brand from the very beginning, wearing our debut collection in 2017! We couldn't be more grateful for the support we have received from so many extraordinary stars! Our earliest supporters include Kali Uchis, Sita Abellan, Nadia Lee Cohen, and Winnie Harlow. One of the best parts about dressing such amazing women is watching their meteoric growth!

L'O: Where do you gather inspiration to design a collection?

FC&NS: It’s super important for us to gather our inspiration from many different sources, as this always results in a much stronger collection overall. We begin the research months in advance so we can evolve the season slowly and carefully so nothing is ever rushed.

L'O: Fashion is not just dressing up, it’s a way to present yourself to the world. What is the message you want to send?

FC&NS: Don't let the judgement of anyone else affect how you see yourself or dictate what you want to wear. You shouldn't have to shape yourself into anyone else's mould.

L'O: What does 2021 have in store for you?

FC&NS: We have a very exciting collaboration launching in the coming weeks so keep an eye out for that! So far, 2021 has been explosive from the amount of support we have received from the new collection to stars like Dua and Kylie supporting the brand on multiple occasions. We have many exciting developments to come this year, so we look forward to sharing these with everyone.