Stewart Parvin’s vision and purpose have remained consistent since he was a design student: to make the wearer confident and shine. He is best known for becoming one of Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite designers and is celebrating 30 years in business. His work is now on display as part of the exhibition Queen Elizabeth II – Her Life in Style. I’m delighted to share how his incredible story unfolded, culminating in his becoming a couturier to the Queen.
I was recently described as a veteran of the fashion industry. At first, I bristled, then I paused and realised just how long I have been part of this world. I fell in love with fashion very early, long before my career even began. Indeed, I began designing and selling my own collection in local stores at the age of thirteen.
Despite coming from an academic family, I persuaded my parents to let me attend art school, and I was accepted into the only fashion degree course in Scotland at the time, at Edinburgh College of Art.
In those early days, my fellow classmates and I dreamt of working in Paris and having our designs on the catwalk. We wanted glamour, dramatic silhouettes, and our names in lights. But one fellow designer stood apart. A dashing, impeccably dressed Englishman from London who joined our class in the second year, who observed us with quiet amusement as we layered our designs in bold colour and wild, experimental, tricky details. He watched as we pushed pattern cutting to its extremes, trying to outdo each other.
And this is when I first got acquainted with Stewart Parvin.
Stewart’s design vision began early
His own sketches were different. Simple shift dresses. Neatly cut, boxy jackets finished with elegant buttons. We were baffled. One afternoon, in a quiet moment, I shared my ambition to work abroad for a major international brand and asked about his dream. At nineteen, without hesitation and entirely serious, he replied, “I am going to dress the Queen.”
And that is exactly what he did.
Recently, as he celebrated thirty years in business, I had the privilege of sitting down with my dear friend, Stewart Parvin, MVO, to talk about how that extraordinary goal became a reality.
The Palace makes contact
Stewart Parvin’s journey to becoming a Royal Couturier began almost serendipitously. His first royal client was the Queen of Norway, but it was a visit from a member of Queen Elizabeth’s household that would define his career. The dresser came to Stewart’s Knightsbridge atelier to examine the quality of his garments and to understand the finishing, the fabrics, and the meticulous craftsmanship. Stewart recalls preparing sketches on the spot, refining ideas, and selecting fabrics before ever knowing who the client would be. Within a week, the garments were commissioned, and only then did he realise he was working for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Reflecting on that first commission, Stewart said:
When I first met the Queen’s dresser, I didn’t know who she was there for. She wanted to see the quality of the clothes, inside and out. I sketched ideas on the spot, quickly turning thoughts into designs, and over the following week, we refined fabrics and silhouettes. Only then did I learn I was working for the Queen
Stewart went on to reveal that everything about the Queen’s wardrobe was a study in subtle perfection, yet, as years passed, her style needed a touch of modernity. She had reached an age where presentation mattered, and those around her wanted someone who could elevate her look without overstepping the bounds of tradition. That’s where he came in, stepping into a world that was equal parts regal and intensely personal.
Meeting Her Majesty the Queen for the first time was surreal. He recalls entering the palace quietly, through a side door, and being led into an expansive room adorned with grand paintings, beautiful yet understated, much like the Queen herself. At that moment, it wasn’t just about fabric or fit; it was about understanding the woman beneath the crown. Early designs were built from basic blocks. A pencil skirt, a shift dress, a panelled jacket, crafted so that each piece could be adapted over the years into multiple ensembles, combining tradition with subtle reinvention.
Meeting the Queen
“I remember the first time I met the Queen. It was like stepping into a painting. She welcomed me into a vast, serene room, and suddenly the palace’s grandeur felt intimate. I didn’t have her measurements yet, so we worked from existing clothes, crafting basic pieces that would evolve into countless ensembles over the years.
What struck me most was her curiosity. She wanted to understand the construction, the seams, the linings. She noticed every detail in photographs, every stitch, every fold. Together, we experimented with fabrics, colours, and cuts, blending tradition with modernity.
It wasn’t just about making her look beautiful; it was about making her feel confident and comfortable. The Queen would smile as she tried a new design, giving small hints here or there. Over time, these fittings became cherished collaborations, a delicate dance of creativity, respect, and subtle reinvention.”
Her wardrobe, he continued, was about more than style; it was a carefully curated uniform that expressed who she was to the world. Colours were chosen not just for beauty but for impact, bright, bold, playful, yet entirely appropriate. She embraced colours that brought her to life on camera: pale pinks, vivid greens, crisp blues.
Occasionally, she even experimented with something daring, like a neon-inspired green on her 90th birthday, and it worked because it suited her. Fit and proportion were equally critical. Skirts were tapered, coats carefully draped, necklines thoughtfully considered. Every adjustment was calculated to ensure elegance and comfort. It was about highlighting her strengths, maintaining poise, and projecting confidence without hesitation.
Why the smallest changes make the difference
“Sometimes the smallest changes make the biggest difference. A tiny adjustment to a sleeve, a fraction of an inch taken from a skirt hem, or a slight taper around the waist can completely alter the perception of a garment. When I worked with the Queen, these adjustments were crucial because the clothes had to be perfect in every photograph and from every angle. The public might never see these subtleties, but the wearer feels the difference immediately. The garment moves correctly, sits comfortably, and flatters the body without anyone knowing why. This principle applies to every client. Often, women come in feeling uncertain or self-conscious about a part of their body, and by tweaking proportions and lines, you can create balance, harmony, and confidence. These refinements are not obvious or dramatic; they are almost imperceptible, but they change the whole experience of wearing the clothes. People walk differently, feel lighter, and hold their heads higher. Colour and fit, combined with subtle tailoring, create a sense of ease, poise, and self-assurance that lasts all day and beyond. That is what I strive for every time.”
One thing that has always struck me, as we’ve grown in our careers, is Stewart’s extraordinary ability to connect with his clients on a deeply human level. It is a rare and powerful skill. In large fashion houses, designers are often removed from the end customer. You create at arm’s length, insulated from the practical realities of how women live and dress day to day.
Yet behind the spectacle of modern catwalk shows lies a complex corporate structure driven by commercial targets and shareholder expectations. For all the theatre, fashion is still a business. And in recent years, there has been a quiet reckoning across the industry. Designers and brands are beginning to recognise that putting the customer first is not a compromise of creativity, but a necessity. The era of ivory-tower design is fading. Today, it is the client who holds the power.
Putting the client first
This shift in thinking became the foundation of my book, The Fashion Switch.
“The fashion powerhouses were fiercely protective of their market, producing numerous collections, season after season – main lines, diffusion ranges and licensed collections.
Journalists from the same magazines were invited to the fashion shows each season. The brands paid for pages of advertising, and in return, the journalists gushed about them, writing column inches about the same designers. Loyal stay-fast clients would rush to buy their clothes from the new collection every year. Happy days.
Then came the click of the digital-first era.
It was the sound of a business switching from one that had dictated for decades to one humbly trying to understand what customers want. It was the click of an industry that had, in effect, had to change from transmit to receive mode”
Stewart Parvin has been in receiving mode from day one. His clients always come first.
His brand is celebrating 30 years in business because it delivers something invaluable to all its clients, whether royalty or not. Confidence.
“I remember one of the most remarkable moments in my career was with a client who had always struggled with confidence, and after the fitting, she came out of the room completely transformed. She literally walked differently, spoke differently, and there was a light in her eyes that wasn’t there before. It’s astonishing what carefully chosen colour and fit can do.
When you find the shades that harmonise with a person’s skin tone, the cut that flatters their body, and the style that suits their personality, you’re not just dressing them, you’re giving them permission to feel proud and visible”
With the Queen, for example, we carefully considered every shade and how it would read in photographs, knowing that colour could project authority, warmth, or joy. But it was never about making someone look like someone else; it’s about bringing out the best in who they are, and in that moment, the client realised for the first time that she could step into herself fully. That is the transformative power of colour and fit, and it’s what I aim for with every client
Even though I have known Stewart for a lifetime, it remains a joy to watch him in his atelier. Across three floors, dresses hang quietly against cream carpeted interiors that absorb every sound, creating an atmosphere of calm and discretion. The salon feels hushed, almost reverential. It is no surprise that clients cherish the time they spend there, talking with Stewart as he sketches, considers fabric, refines a line, and directs his seamstresses, all within arm’s reach.
Over the years, he has become something of an institution, with a reputation that extends far beyond London.
Unlike many designers, Stewart genuinely loves women. He understands their bodies instinctively and knows how to flatter them with remarkable sensitivity. While he delights in the design process, what truly sets him apart is his ability to listen. He takes time to understand each client’s challenges, aspirations, and insecurities, and he approaches every commission with the intention of helping her shine, whoever she is.
Watching Stewart is a reminder that when design starts with the client, it empowers her to step forward fully herself, radiant, assured, and unapologetically visible. Now that is something to celebrate.
Stewart Parvin’s designs for Queen Elizabeth II form part of the exhibition Queen Elizabeth II – Her Life in Style at Buckingham Palace.
Are you looking for insights and a strategy to elevate your brand? Contact us here.
Joanne Yulan Jong is a Creative Strategist, Fashion Writer, and Author of the bestselling book THE FASHION SWITCH ‘The New Rules of the Fashion Business’. She has been invited to be a regular columnist for WWD magazine.
