Alice Suki Waterhouse was born in Hammersmith, London, England, to Norman Waterhouse, a plastic surgeon, and Elizabeth, a cancer care nurse. Her upbringing in a creative environment in West London, with a surgeon father who also designed furniture as a side interest, provided a foundation for her later artistic pursuits.

At the age of 16, Waterhouse began her modeling career after being scouted while shopping in London. This marked the start of her professional journey into the world of fashion, paving the way for her appearances in major campaigns and runway shows.