As the boldy British brand launches online and in select John Lewis stores, we interview Steven Stokey-Daley to hear how it all started – and where it’s going
Best known as S.S. Daley, Steven Stokey-Daley started his eponymous brand in 2020 after graduating from Westminster University as a fashion design student (so yes, he is only 28). Since then he’s dressed well-known Brits, including Harry Styles and Keira Knightley – and these fans of the brand love its impactful collections, which take British dressing in a new direction.
Packed with tongue-in-cheek charm, Steven’s designs are inspired by British culture and redevelop ideas of British heritage. From bold and distinctive art styles (he loves the artist Gluck), to music (Kate Bush all day) and football (his family put him in the Liverpool – not Everton – camp and he’s faithful to that), the award-winning designer offers a truly unique style identity.
Read on to get to know S.S. Daley better and explore his latest ready-to-wear collections for men and women, which have landed online and in select stores (Liverpool is one, of course).
Landing at John Lewis & Partners
"I always want to try new ideas, and it feels the right time for us to try something different and place ourselves in the British retail space. John Lewis is iconic to the British high street, so there is synergy with the brand. And, as the world is such a digital-first place now, I think it’s important to create physical spaces for a community to gather. Plus so much work goes into making how the garments feel; touch is so considered in the process and you can’t experience that online."
Launching womenswear
"I think of myself as a menswear designer as that was my entry point to the industry, but I love womenswear and the different set of technical challenges it gives. We approach womenswear and menswear in reverse – pushing the more masculine energy into the women’s tailoring wardrobe and giving menswear a softer edge. Kidswear isn't on my mind for now."
Photo credit: @ss_daley
Photo credit: @ss_daley
Behind the brand
"When it came to naming the brand, I wanted to focus on the Daley family name rather than my name. And this is the way my name was written down on registers at school, and stitched into my PE kit. It’s my identity tag, I suppose.
I want to create the best quality garments, which means not releasing so many collections a year. Slowing down preserves the quality. Fashion is a very fast-paced industry – I wish I had understood before I got into it that you can do things your own way."
About S.S. Daley
"I’m not a big shopper. A lot of designers are like that, the thought goes into designing clothes for other people, not for yourself. I wear a uniform – I have a vintage French chore jacket and S.S. Daley burgundy tassel loafers which I wear every day. One thing I do love is home fragrance; my partner and I are big on smellies! Byredo candles are our guilty pleasure."
"My family in Liverpool is very football-centric. Liverpool is a friendly, community-driven football city, and while football itself I can take or leave, I’m fascinated by the culture it creates. Now I live in London, and a year-and-a-half ago my partner and I went crazy and got two little dachshunds – Basil and Ernest. They cause complete havoc, but it’s great. The London studio is a fun chaos of design and dogs."
