Who? Husband and wife duo Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro have turned their label into a steady favourite on the London fashion scene. Their boldly coloured cashmere pieces and whimsically printed tea-dresses have been coveted by celebrities Demi Moore, Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dido and Cameron Diaz. How did it happen? British-born Clements met Brazilian Ribeiro while studying fashion at Central St Martins in London. They married in 1991, a year after graduating with first-class honours degrees, and founded their label in 1993. In 1996, the duo won the New Generation designer award in London and have since been nominated five times as the Designers of the Year. Clements Ribeiro launched a children's wear collection in 1999, followed by an accessories line in 2001, and the couple currently juggle design responsibilities for both their own brand and Parisian label Cacherel. What do the clothes look like? Bold colours dominate the Clements Ribeiro runway; think candy-striped cashmere sweaters, retro tweed skirts and boiled-wool jackets. For spring-summer, the couple drew inspiration from Wallis Simpson for a collection that combines luxury with bohemian nostalgia: polka-dot separates and chiffon dresses. What do the designers have to say? 'People think part-nerships arise because of a shared vision, but we don't feel that way. We both have strong minds and personalities, so because of that equality we fight much more. That's why it works.' Where are the clothes available? Clements Ribeiro is available at D-Mop in On Lan Street, Central; Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Koh Samui and Matches in London; Printemps in Paris; Bergdorf Goodman in the United States; and Club 21 in Singapore.
