On Tuesday evening, Richard Quinn closed London fashion week on a melancholic note.
In 2018 the late Queen Elizabeth II sat front row (on her own special padded blue cushion) at his debut runway show so it came as no surprise that his spring/summer ’23 collection was dedicated to her, with him saying she touched him “among so many others with her grace and kindness”.
As This Mortal Coil’s sorrowful Song to the Siren played, models shrouded in black – some in floor-length lace veils, others in birdcage length face coverings and beaded tiaras – slowly walked around the circular runway.
In the middle sat an installation of hundreds of CCTV cameras and several televisions, playing archive footage of the Queen.
After hearing the news that the monarch had died, Quinn said he took a moment to pause before doing a 360° turn on the existing collection.
He and his team had created the 23 opening black looks in just 10 days, working throughout the night and stitching while watching the funeral.
Inspiration came from images including those of Queen Victoria, who wore black for half of her life following the death of her husband Prince Albert, alongside the veils the late Queen and her sister Princess Margaret wore to their father’s funeral in 1952.
Sourcing materials from local shops near his studio in Peckham, south London, Quinn explored new fabrics, silhouettes and techniques. Embroidery was placed on top of French lace while some bulbous-shaped looks he described as “spacey” featured tiny sequins and feathers.
There were plenty of signature Quinn details too, such as latex leggings, this time in mint green, powder white and inky blacks that were teamed with everything from cape coats to mini ruffled dresses.
Giant corsages pinned to lapels hid the models’ faces, a new spin on his usual face masks and shields. And of course there were plenty of colourful floral prints. This season they varied from blousy roses to minute buds.
Although Quinn launched his eponymous label only in 2016, he continues to gain traction in the international fashion world. The late monarch’s appearance at his 2018 show, where she later presented him with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II award for British design, catapulted him to fame.
He was further pushed into the spotlight when the human rights lawyer Amal Clooney wore a bespoke gown to the 2018 Heavenly Bodies Met Gala.
The following year the model and reality TV star Kendall Jenner chose a rose-printed floral dress complete with black latex rollneck for an appearance at the 2019 Emmy awards.
He also counts Priyanka Chopra, Kylie Minogue and Nicola Coughlan as fans. Coughlan, the Bridgerton star, sat front row on Tuesday night, wearing a striking yellow and purple floral-printed cape dress.
She told the Guardian: “He is so brilliant at pushing boundaries. His pieces are fun, absurd and really theatrical. Why not have fun?”
This month, the legendary American designer Tommy Hilfiger chose Quinn to collaborate with him on a capsule collection. It was unveiled on Sunday during New York fashion week at a star studded runway show.
Varsity jackets, polo shirts and oversized puffer jackets were all given Quinn’s signature floral treatment. Speaking about the collaboration, Hilfiger mused on Quinn’s talent, saying: “I’m always inspired by the next generation – they have a pulse on trends and innovation that is creative and exciting.”
Quinn wasn’t the only one to pay tribute to the late monarch during London fashion week.
With it falling during the period of national mourning, guests at Daniel W Fletcher observed a one-minute silence, at Halpern a model in a cornflower blue trailing cloak with a mint silk headscarf knotted beneath her chin opened the show, while the finale at Harris featured a bride carrying a bouquet of Lily of the Valley, a nod to Her Majesty’s favourite flowers.
Reflecting on her legacy post-show, Quinn described the late Queen as: “100% a fashion icon. Even from her silhouette, you knew exactly who it was. I feel like that book is now closed.”
