Hubbry Logo
Suki PotierSuki PotierMain
Open search
Suki Potier
Community hub
Suki Potier
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Suki Potier
Suki Potier
Suki Potier
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Melanie Susan Potier (14 November 1947 – 23 June 1981), better known as Suki Potier, was an English model.

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Potier was born in Surrey, England. Her father was Gilbert Potier, and her mother was Mary (nee Moore) Potier. Potier had one sibling, Sarah Sally Rosemary Potier (born 12 February 1946).[1][2]

Modelling

[edit]

As a teenager, Potier was a model for many English designers and agencies, including English Boy, an agency on the King's Road in Chelsea, London, England. In 1967, she modelled for Ossie Clark's April 1967 collection.[3][1]

Potier had a small acting role in the 1968 psychedelic film Wonderwall, and archive footage of her was also used in a 2011 music documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World.

Personal life

[edit]

In 1966, Potier was dating Tara Browne, an heir to the Guinness fortune. On 18 December 1966, aged 19, Potier was a passenger in his turquoise Lotus Elan when he was driving through South Kensington. Browne collided with a parked truck and died from his injuries the next day. Potier was not injured in the accident.[1] The Beatles song "A Day in the Life" is often considered to allude to this incident.[4]

Potier had a relationship with Brian Jones (1942-1969), the Rolling Stones guitarist, living with him in Sussex, England.[1][5]

Potier met Robert Ho, future Hong Kong businessman, the eldest son of Macau gaming tycoon Stanley Ho,[6] while he was a student at the London School of Business,[1] and subsequently married him. Potier and her family lived in Hong Kong. They had two daughters, Sarah Ho and Faye Ho.[2][7] Potier's daughters were raised in Macau.[7][1][8]

Death

[edit]

On 23 June 1981, Potier and her husband both died in a car crash while on holiday in Portugal.[2][1][9]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Suki Potier

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Suki Potier (born Melanie Susan Potier; 14 November 1947 – 23 June 1981) was an English fashion model active in the scene, known for her work with prominent designers and her associations with key figures in the era's cultural milieu. Born in as the youngest of two sisters, Potier began her modeling career as a teenager in , quickly gaining prominence for her adventurous and risk-taking persona. She modeled for agencies like English Boy on , which specialized in androgynous, child-like aesthetics, and collaborated with designers such as , embodying the bold, bohemian style of the time. Potier's personal life intertwined with notable events and personalities of the . At age 19, she was a passenger in the fatal car crash of heir on 17 December 1966 in , ; Browne, driving his , reportedly swerved to protect her before colliding with a parked lorry, an incident that inspired ' song "." She later dated founder from 1967 to 1969, living with him in amid his turbulent life, and attended his following his drowning in 1969. In the 1970s, Potier married Robert Ho, a Hong Kong businessman and son of casino magnate , and relocated to , where they had two daughters, Faye and . The couple's lives ended tragically on 23 June 1981 in a car crash during a holiday in , , leaving their daughters, aged 6 and 3, orphans; Potier was 33 years old at the time of her death. Her legacy endures through her daughter , a jewelry designer who preserves Potier's collection of bohemian pieces, including a Cartier snake ring.

Early Life

Birth and Family Background

Melanie Susan Potier, professionally known as Suki Potier, was born on 14 November 1947 in Surrey, England. She was the younger daughter of Gilbert Potier and his wife Mary Potier (née Moore). Potier had one sibling, an older sister named Sarah Sally Rosemary Potier, who was born on 12 February 1946. The Potier family resided in during the late , a time marked by post-war reconstruction and economic adjustment in Britain.

Entry into Modeling

Suki Potier, born in as the youngest of two sisters, drew initial support from her family background when she ventured into modeling as a teenager amid the burgeoning scene of . At age 18, Potier formally entered the industry, aligning with the era's shift toward youthful, androgynous aesthetics in British . She quickly signed with the English Boy modeling agency, established on the in Chelsea, which specialized in representing emerging talents in the vibrant, bohemian district above the Quorum boutique. Her early experiences as a teen model immersed her in Chelsea's dynamic social milieu, where fashion intersected with music and in an atmosphere of experimentation and risk. Potier navigated the high-energy demands of the scene, contributing to the child-like, adventurous image that defined young models of the period, though the lifestyle often blurred professional boundaries with personal adventures.

Modeling Career

Key Collaborations and Appearances

Potier established herself as a prominent figure in the fashion scene through her modeling assignments with leading English designers, particularly , whose innovative designs epitomized the era's youthful exuberance. Represented by the English Boy agency on London's , she secured high-profile bookings that extended beyond her early career, including and promotional work that showcased the cutting-edge aesthetics of the time. A standout collaboration occurred in April 1967, when Potier modeled for and Alice Pollock's winter collection during a promotional display on a street. She wore the '', a Levy , accentuating the collection's bold use of patterns and materials inspired by the period's . Posed alongside models (in the 'Oz' snakeskin suit), Chrissie Shrimpton (in the 'Little Louis Angel' cream braided party dress), and Annie Sabroux (in the 'Hipster' studded leather jacket and trousers), Potier's appearance captured the collection's street-level accessibility and glamorous edge, drawing widespread attention to Clark's boutique label. Potier's partnership with Clark continued into 1968, further highlighting her visibility in the fashion world. On January 18, she modeled the 'Malwyn' dress, a sophisticated piece that exemplified 's signature bias-cut silhouettes and fluid draping, photographed to promote his ongoing influence in London's mod . These appearances not only elevated Potier's profile but also underscored her contribution to the era's fusion of high and pop , collaborating with other English designers whose work defined the aesthetic.

Film and Media Involvement

Suki Potier made brief forays into acting with minor roles in several 1960s films. She appeared as a Casino Girl in Casino Royale (1967) and as a Bespectacled Woman in (1968), both uncredited. She also had a role as a girl at a party in the 1968 psychedelic film , directed by Joe Massot and starring and . The film, which explores themes of isolation and fantasy through a professor's obsession with his neighbor, featured Potier alongside other models from the era, leveraging her prominence in London's scene. Her media presence extended posthumously through archival in the 2011 documentary George Harrison: , directed by . In this three-part film chronicling the life of the former Beatle, Potier appears as herself in preserved clips that highlight her connections to figures, including her associations with the era's musicians. Additional archival material from Potier's modeling career has appeared in visual media, such as of her at Ossie Clark's 1968 , which captures her poised runway presence and has been referenced in retrospective documentaries on fashion and . These clips underscore how her modeling work provided a visual archive that influenced later portrayals of the period's social and artistic milieu.

Personal Life

Romantic Relationships

Suki Potier's romantic life in the was intertwined with London's , a scene blending fashion, aristocracy, and rock music where models like her frequently dated prominent figures from the music world. Around late 1966, Potier began a relationship with , a 21-year-old heir to the brewing fortune and a key figure in the Chelsea set. On 17 December 1966, while driving his turquoise through at high speed, Browne collided with a parked lorry; Potier, seated as a passenger, survived uninjured after Browne reportedly swerved to protect her. Browne died the next day, on 18 December 1966, from his injuries, an event that later inspired the Beatles' "." Following Browne's death, Potier entered a relationship with , the Rolling Stones guitarist, from 1967 to 1969. The couple lived together initially in a Chelsea house above the boutique in 1967 before moving to Jones's home in , where Potier often mirrored his androgynous style amid the era's bohemian excesses. Their partnership reflected the fluid social dynamics of the London music scene, though it ended shortly before Jones's death in 1969; Potier attended his funeral following his drowning in July 1969.

Marriage and Children

Following the end of her romantic relationships in the late , Suki Potier married Ho Yau-kwong, the eldest son of Macau casino magnate , in the early 1970s. , then a student at the London School of Business, later became involved in his family's shipping and gaming enterprises. The couple relocated to shortly after their marriage, where they established their family life amid the city's burgeoning economic landscape. They resided in a lavish 13,000-square-foot home at Number 4 , a prestigious waterfront property owned by , offering panoramic views of the . Robert's role in the family business often kept him engaged in Hong Kong's commercial circles, while Potier transitioned from her modeling career to focus on domestic life. Potier and Ho had two daughters: Faye, born around 1977, and Sarah, born around 1979. The family enjoyed a privileged existence in during the , with the children growing up in an environment of wealth and stability provided by the Ho family's influence in the region.

Death and Legacy

Circumstances of Death

On 23 June 1981, Suki Potier and her husband, Robert Ho, were killed in a car crash while on holiday in , . The couple, who resided with their young daughters in , had traveled to for the trip. Potier, aged 33 at the time of her death, was driving the vehicle involved in the accident, which resulted in both occupants being fatally injured. The incident occurred late in the evening, and the couple was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cultural Significance

Potier's involvement in the 1966 fatal car crash of has linked her posthumously to The Beatles' song "," highlighting the ' blend of glamour and peril and her connections to London's countercultural elite, including figures like . As one of the era's "it-girls," Potier represented the ' cultural vibrancy, though her story has often been overshadowed by her male associates. Posthumously, she has been recognized in media retrospectives as a forgotten figure of fashion and society. Her legacy continues through her daughters, Faye and Sarah Ho. Sarah Ho, a London-based , draws inspiration from her mother's bohemian artifacts, including a Cartier snake ring, to create pieces reflecting the era's aesthetic. Potier's modeling images and social photographs are preserved in fashion history collections. In recent years, as of 2025, fan communities on platforms like and , along with archival content, have revived interest in Potier's life, career, and cultural impact, contributing to ongoing preservation of her legacy.

References

  1. https://e.vnexpress.net/news/life/celebrities/the-lives-of-casino-tycoon-stanley-ho-s-4-daughters-in-law-from-tragedy-to-luxury-4833421.html
  2. https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2016/12/secrets-sixties-london-s-forgotten-it-girls-who-disappeared-too-soon
  3. https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3224542/when-son-macau-casinos-mogul-stanley-ho-was-killed-road-accident-lisbon-portugal
  4. https://www.geni.com/people/Melanie-Susan-Ho/6000000140750157079
  5. https://brianjonestimeline.wordpress.com/1947/11/14/suki-potier-born-in-surrey/
  6. http://www.bluetramontana.com/2010/08/suki-potier.html
  7. https://www.tatler.com/gallery/sixties-sloanes-and-posh-hippies-1960s
  8. https://dearmistermuse.substack.com/p/5-quick-facts-about-suki-potier
  9. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/collection-of-winter-fashions-by-ossie-clark-and-alice-news-photo/3066740
  10. https://shop.memorylane.co.uk/mirror/0300to0399-00324/suki-poitier-girlfriend-brian-jones-rolling-21616958.html
  11. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2915466/
  12. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065224/fullcredits/
  13. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1113829/fullcredits/
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTPbAw7UMok
  15. https://www.scmp.com/article/627445/casino-kings-palace-left-decay
  16. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3086703/stanley-ho-how-macau-casino-tycoons-love-life-shaped-his-success
  17. https://www.scmp.com/article/738024/taking-control
  18. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/beatles-sgt-pepper-at-50-the-doomed-socialite-behind-a-day-in-the-life-120953/
  19. https://www.beatlesbible.com/1966/12/18/tara-browne-dies/
  20. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/english-model-suki-potier-leaving-the-inquest-into-the-news-photo/970351592
  21. https://www.instagram.com/sukipotierarchive/?hl=en
  22. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1824051222326869/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.