Set in 1950s London, the story follows Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned fashion designer who dresses British high society. Accustomed to controlling every aspect of his life and relationships, he sees his world change when he meets Alma, a young waitress who becomes his muse and lover. Their intense and complex relationship turns into a web of power, dependence and love, revealing how fragile and manipulable the thread that binds two people can be.