Who Is Needle and Thread? The London Label Behind the Embellished Tulle Gown

Needle and Thread is a London womenswear label founded in 2013 by the designer Hannah Coffin, who still runs it as founder and CEO. It is best known for embellished tulle gowns worked with sequins, beading and embroidery, with motifs drawn from classic English gardens, vintage textiles and antique prints. Catherine, now Princess of Wales, first wore the label in January 2020, and it has been a fixture of British occasion dressing ever since.

If you have searched for Needle and Thread London, you have probably seen the gowns before you knew the name: the pale tulle skirts scattered with tiny flowers, the sequin bodices that look like old lace held up to the light, the red gown at a Buckingham Palace reception. This is the story behind them, what the label actually makes, how it is made, and where to start on Coveti.

Who founded Needle and Thread?

Hannah Coffin founded Needle and Thread in London in 2013. Her route into fashion began at home. Her grandmother gave her a Singer sewing machine when she was a child, and by her early teens she was making clothes for friends and family. She went on to study Fashion and Textiles at Ravensbourne University in London.

Coffin did not launch straight out of college. She spent roughly a decade working inside the industry first, rising to womenswear design director at AllSaints. That background matters when you look at the clothes. A high street design director learns about fit across a size range, about factories, about what sells and what hangs unloved on a rail. Needle and Thread looks romantic, but it is built by someone who understands production. The label launched with a clear idea: beautiful, heavily worked eveningwear that felt special without the couture lead times.

She remains the founder and CEO, which is less common than you might think for a label of this size. The aesthetic has stayed remarkably consistent for over a decade as a result.

What does Needle and Thread make?

The core of the business is the gown. Long tulle and sequin gowns in ankle and floor lengths are what most people mean when they talk about Needle and Thread dresses. Around that core sit day dresses, bridalwear, childrenswear, knitwear and accessories.

On Coveti you will find the eveningwear and occasion side of the label: ankle gowns, cape gowns, ballerina dresses cut to mid calf, blouses and the newer embellished jackets. A few examples of the range as it stands this season:

• Embellished gowns from the new drop, such as the Thalia Off-Shoulder Gown in Navy and the Amaya Shimmer Gown in Soft Peony.
• Autumn Winter 2026 colour, including the Heart Lattice Ankle Gown in Garnet and the Clover Cape Sleeve Ankle Gown in Garnet.
• Sequin eveningwear with a sleeker line, such as the Evangeline Sequin Cowl Neck Gown in Black.
• Separates that work beyond the ballroom, including the Jet Embellished Jacket in Moonbeam / Silver and the Jet Frill Blouse in Soft Peony / Silver.
• Knitwear with a party finish, such as the Sylvie Cable Jewelled Cape in Cream.

What is Needle and Thread known for?

Three things define the look.

Embellished tulle. The label works tulle the way other houses work silk. Its own dotted tulle, which the brand calls Kisses tulle, appears across many gowns as a soft, slightly textured base. On top of that sit sequins, beads and embroidery, often placed in floral sprays that thin out towards the hem so the skirt still moves.

The English garden. Nearly every collection draws on classic English gardens, delicate florals and antique prints. Collection names tell you as much: Wild Rose, Palace Garden, Lovers Lace, Marie Toile de Jouy, Rococo Ribbon. The Marie pieces, for example the Marie Toile De Jouy Jacquard V-Neck Gown in Moonshine/Graphite, take the old French toile pattern and turn it into eveningwear.

Vintage textiles, reworked. The embroidery often looks like something you might find in an antique market, then reworked in sequins and beads. That is deliberate. Coffin’s inspiration board is full of old lace, ribbons and printed cottons.

On the practical side, most pieces are 100% polyester, much of it recycled polyester. The embellishment is mostly made in India, where specialist workshops handle the beading and sequin work, and the satin pieces are made in China. The weight of that beading is why the brand asks customers to store embellished gowns flat rather than on a hanger.

Which royals have worn Needle and Thread?

The label’s profile changed in January 2020. Catherine, then Duchess of Cambridge and now Princess of Wales, wore the red sequin and tulle Aurora gown to a Buckingham Palace reception for the UK-Africa Investment Summit. It was her first Needle and Thread appearance, and the gown was widely photographed.

She returned to the label in November 2023, wearing an emerald green sequin gown, the Alicia, to King Charles’s 75th birthday party. Lady Victoria Starmer has also worn the label, choosing the Heart Lattice gown for an evening at Buckingham Palace. Coffin told The Telegraph she was “delighted”. The Heart Lattice is still part of the line, and the Heart Lattice Ankle Gown in Chalk/Dusk Pink is one of the current versions on Coveti.

Is Needle and Thread a sustainable brand?

It has done more than most occasionwear labels of its size, and it has been specific about it. Needle and Thread held the Butterfly Mark from Positive Luxury from 2019 to 2024. It set a goal of 90% responsibly sourced materials by 2024 and met it. It also partnered with Fairly Made to trace its supply chain, which means mapping who makes what and where.

The honest caveat is the fabric itself. Polyester tulle is still polyester, even when recycled, and an embellished gown is a resource-heavy thing to make. The more useful sustainability question with a gown like this is how often you will wear it. A long-sleeve sequin gown that works for a winter wedding, a gala and a Christmas party has a far better cost per wear than a one-night dress. The brand also offers spare beads and sequins on request, which makes small repairs possible and keeps pieces in service for longer.

The charity record is long. Needle and Thread has supported The Prince’s Trust, Save the Children, Women for Women International and World Land Trust, and a collaboration with Bobbi Brown raised nearly a quarter of a million pounds for Smart Works, the charity that dresses women for job interviews.

Where should you start with Needle and Thread?

Start with the occasion, then the sleeve. That is the quickest way through a label with this many gowns.

• Black tie and galas: the Amaya Shimmer Long Sleeve Gown in Jet Black gives you coverage and shine without a cape. For colour, the Thalia Off-Shoulder Gown in Ribbon Red is the nearest thing in the current line to the spirit of that 2020 red gown.
• Weddings: the Lily Bloom Ankle Gown in Navy and the Constellation Ankle Gown in Navy from Pre-Spring 2027 are safe on colour and still feel festive. Our Needle and Thread wedding guest guide goes through the rest by season.
• Christmas and winter parties: garnet is the colour of the season. The Bow Lattice Long Sleeve Ankle Gown in Garnet covers the arms for cold venues.
• Separates: the Jet jacket and blouse turn trousers into eveningwear.

Before you order, read our Needle and Thread size guide, because the bodices are fitted and the bust measurement decides most sizes. For a full look at the newest drop, see our Needle and Thread Cruise 2027 edit, and for an unvarnished verdict on fabric, fit and care, read our Needle and Thread review. You can browse every style on the Needle and Thread brand page and compare it with other labels in our designer evening gowns edit.

How does Needle and Thread fit into London occasionwear?

London has a strong tradition of romantic eveningwear, and Needle and Thread sits at the accessible end of the embellished part of it. The look is lighter than full couture. Skirts are layered tulle rather than heavy duchess satin, and embellishment is concentrated where the eye lands: the bodice, the shoulders, the upper skirt. That keeps the gowns comfortable to dance in and easier to pack.

Its customer tends to be dressing for a specific event with a dress code: a wedding, a ball, a charity gala, a Christmas party. The label also has a strong bridal following, both for brides who want a lighter gown and for bridesmaids in coordinated colours. If you like the feeling of an English garden in a ballroom, you will like Needle and Thread. If you prefer clean, architectural lines, the satin cowl neck gowns in the Evangeline family are the label’s most minimal pieces.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Needle and Thread?

Needle and Thread was founded in London in 2013 by Hannah Coffin, who remains founder and CEO. Before launching the label she studied Fashion and Textiles at Ravensbourne University and spent about a decade in the industry, including a role as womenswear design director at AllSaints. Her grandmother gave her a Singer sewing machine as a child, which started it all.

Is Needle and Thread a British brand?

Yes. Needle and Thread is a London label, designed in the city since it was founded in 2013. Production is international: most embellishment is made in India by specialist workshops, and satin pieces are made in China. The design language is very English, built on classic gardens, delicate florals, antique prints and vintage textiles.

Which Needle and Thread dress did the Princess of Wales wear?

Catherine first wore Needle and Thread in January 2020, choosing the red sequin and tulle Aurora gown for a Buckingham Palace reception linked to the UK-Africa Investment Summit. In November 2023 she wore the emerald green sequin Alicia gown to King Charles’s 75th birthday party. Both were long, embellished gowns typical of the label.

What fabric are Needle and Thread dresses made from?

Most Needle and Thread pieces are 100% polyester, and many use recycled polyester. The signature base is tulle, including the brand’s own dotted Kisses tulle, finished with sequins, beading and embroidery. There are also satin, georgette, jacquard and cotton broderie styles, and the product name usually tells you which fabric family a piece belongs to.

Is Needle and Thread sustainable?

The label held the Butterfly Mark from Positive Luxury from 2019 to 2024, met its goal of 90% responsibly sourced materials by 2024 and works with Fairly Made to trace its supply chain. It also supports charities including Save the Children and World Land Trust. The fabric is largely polyester, so wearing each gown often is the best way to make it count.

Where can I buy Needle and Thread dresses?

Coveti carries Needle and Thread gowns, ballerina dresses, blouses, jackets and capes, including the new Cruise 2027 and Pre-Spring 2027 pieces. Sizes on Coveti run from UK 4 to UK 18. Browse the full edit on the Needle and Thread brand page, and check the size guide first because the bodices are cut close to the body.