Lily Brant Follows in Mother Stephanie Seymour's Supermodel Footsteps at Alaïa
The 21-year-old made her runway debut for the French fashion house that launched her mother's career.
Lily Brant, daughter of supermodel Stephanie Seymour, made her runway debut at the Alaïa fashion show during Paris Fashion Week on Saturday. The 21-year-old's appearance marked a full-circle moment, as the same French fashion house gave Seymour her start in the 1980s.
Brant, who is signed with Ford Models, grew up with a close connection to the late designer Azzedine Alaïa. She recalled spending family dinners at his home as a child and described him as a "sweetest presence" who treated her like family. Alaïa himself passed away in 2017 at the age of 82.
Seymour, now 58, was a longtime muse for Alaïa, whom she affectionately called "Papa." She shared in a 2009 Interview magazine conversation that out of 20 initial meetings in Paris as a teenager, Alaïa was the only one who booked her. Despite her initial nerves on the runway, Alaïa found the footage humorous and made her a regular fixture for his shows, even advocating for her with other designers.
Seymour's career with Alaïa extended beyond the runway. The designer created her wedding gown in 1995 and even gave her away at the ceremony when she married Peter Brant. Brant and Seymour also share a son, Peter Brant Jr., 32. Seymour's older son, Dylan Andrews, is 36, from a previous marriage, and their son Harry Brant died in 2021 at age 24.
To prepare for her own runway debut, Brant practiced walking in heels on a treadmill, utilizing pairs from her mother's extensive collection. Seymour also advised her daughter to use imagination on the catwalk, suggesting she channel confidence by pretending to be a gazelle or a mermaid. Brant had previously spent two summers interning at Alaïa, dividing her time between public relations and the atelier.
Brant's debut follows a trend of celebrity offspring entering the fashion world. Other notable appearances at Paris Fashion Week included Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter Apple Martin, John Travolta's daughter Ella Bleu Travolta, and Heidi Klum's daughter Lou Samuel.