The Mighty Quinn

What a day for the mighty British fashion designer Richard Quinn, who received the biggest front-page headline of London Fashion Week. HRH, The Queen attended London Fashion Week for the first time to endorse Quinn's collection and was seated front row on a royal blue cushion next to fashion’s very own HRH Queen Anna Wintour. In addition to the royal stamp of approval Quinn, became the first awardee of Her Majesty’s British Design, the Queen Elizabeth II award designed by the Queen’s personal adviser Angela Kelly who has for the past 26 years organised the Queen’s wardrobe. Quinn was awarded Her Majesty’s British Design award not only for his contribution to fashion, but for his honourable sharing his work space with students and fashion designers. Richard Quinn Autumn/Winter 2018 Collection The Quinn show decor consisted of delicate English flowers printed on wallpaper lining the walls and runway. Quinn didn’t hold back as he presented a varied collection of design elements from a selection of printed, iridescent, foil capes inspired by mid-century shapes which moved down the runway creating their own timeline, silk scarves on bags and heads which were a pleasant nod to the Queen’s love of classic accessories, to patchwork trenchcoats made from masses of petaled squares. There was also a huge, square-shouldered brown jacket worn with helmet and a futuristic matrix-sculptured, black-biker-chick motorcycle coat dress worn with matching biker helmet wrapped to match by Slam Signs. The collection was a hardcore series filled with the sharpest asymmetrical attitude, floral puffer coats and jackets that seamlessly snuggled the silhouette. The overall aesthetic was a head-to-toe mix of electro-space florals and patterns on velvet, linen, lycra, foil and knife-folded pleated chenille — all of which was printed in Richard’s studio located in Peckham SE15, London (my area). Power to Quinn’s customised tight boots in which I noted crystal anklets worn around the ankle of the boots — very anti-fashion taken from the grungy 90’s. Bets on the favourite from the mighty Quinn shoes, bags, full-length gloves, the balaclava, petaled squares patchwork coat and motorcycle coat dress. After the show, reporters and fans surrounded Richard and I heard him say “It all feels a bit surreal. I only found out a few days ago that I’d won. When I saw the blue cushion on the front row, I knew it was real; I knew she was coming.”