A superhydrophobic surface exhibiting a water-droplet contact angle of ca. 157 degrees (see figure left) is generated from the self assembly of nanoscale clay platelets with attached fatty amine chains. The anionic high-aspect-ratio platelets self-align upon modification with the alkyl organics to form rough surfaces exhibiting the lotus-leaf effect. ne right-hand figure shows the fractal surface with micrometer-scale toughness defined by the platelet building blocks.