Lili Curia is the London shoe brand our favourite musicians can’t get enough of
From CMAT to The Last Dinner Party, founder Chili Palmer’s Victorian-inspired designs have proven their place on and off the stage
When today’s rockstars take to the stage in your designs, you know you’ve struck a chord. That’s the reality for Lili Curia founder Chili Palmer, a third-generation shoemaker whose vintage-inspired boots have found a devoted following among today’s chart-topping talent.
With a clientele that reads like the guest list of a BRIT Awards afterparty – CMAT, Suki Waterhouse, and The Last Dinner Party among them – Lili Curia has quickly become synonymous with a new wave of performers. Rising stars like Holly Humberstone are further cementing the brand’s cult status, recently performing in Stockholm wearing the Ida boots.
Though Palmer only launched the brand last year, she’s wasted no time carving out a distinct identity. “The brand is built around the theatre of the everyday,” she tells me. “The idea that what you wear can bring a bit of drama or personality into daily life.” That ethos comes alive in vintage-inspired silhouettes, ornate jacquards, and blurring the line between romance and rebellion.
Palmer explains it’s her personal vintage archive that fuels her design philosophy. “I’ve always had a strong instinct to collect. Whether it’s vintage pieces, photographs or objects that feel like they’ve lived a life already.”
Signature styles like the Isadora boot are central to this vision. Reimagining Victorian boots, the calf-length lace-ups use Italian leather and sit on a sturdy block heel. The result? All the drama of an elongated silhouette while delivering ease of movement.
For Spring/Summer 2026, the brand introduced new materials through the recently released Canvas Deadstock capsule collection, reworking her signature codes in a lighter, more contemporary direction. Abigail Morris was among the first to wear the collection, proving its stage-ready credentials almost immediately.
For musicians in particular, Palmer understands the brand’s appeal. “They’re natural world-builders,” she explains. “They move between characters so naturally, and clothing becomes part of that storytelling.”
The next step felt inevitable: taking that narrative to the stage. Building on her relationships with today’s stars, Palmer began designing custom pairs for some of her favourite artists. Maria Zardoya of The Marías, for instance, wore a custom white Ida boot created specifically for her Not For Radio solo project. Styled by Jose Carayol, the stark white pair provided the perfect complement to an ethereal McQueen design by Seán McGirr for a performance that reimagined Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.
“Stage kind of changes the context slightly because movement and presence are really important. We want the shoes to feel visually strong but still wearable,” says Palmer. “I love the idea of an artist wearing them on stage and still pulling them from their wardrobe afterwards”.
The versatility of her designs has made that vision a reality, balancing statement-making drama with everyday wearability. Working between design studios in London and Milan, where she honed her craft at the renowned Arsutoria School, Palmer explains that her goal is to create impact without discomfort.
Hester Chambers of Wet Leg has already worn the Black Ginger Mary Janes to the 68th Grammy Awards, bringing the brand into the spotlight on the red carpet. Meanwhile, Little Simz and Jessie Ware have proven their street-style appeal, wearing them just as effortlessly across London’s event circuit.
Like many designers, music is integral to Palmer’s creative process. From Mina’s dramatic crooning vocals, to Kate Bush’s Babushka “for a little touch of a witchy atmosphere”.
As for her dream client, Palmer cites Amy Winehouse as a long-standing muse: “She had such a strong sense of identity, and such a rebellious spirit. Everything about how she dressed and carried herself was completely authentic. She had a beautiful balance of glamour and vulnerability.”
And when it comes to the present moment, Palmer has her eye on Chappell Roan: “I’d love to see Chappell. She’s such a performer and showgirl and I love how theatrical her visual world is.”
Discover the world of Lili Curia at lilicuria.com.