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Richard Quinn, the royal family’s favorite designer, presented his feminine, romantic and floral-themed Fall/Winter 2024 collection at London Fashion Week.
The curving catwalk that wraps around Andaz London’s vast, grade-listed 1901 ballroom is punctuated by giant bouquets of pink and white roses and puddle-length floral-themed curtains. did.
A live band, including a string quartet and a pianist, put guests into a trance-like state as soon as the show began.
The London-based fashion and print designer embraced vintage-inspired bridal wear that emphasized curves and long limbs, resembling high society elegance.
Quinn is said to have drawn inspiration from the late Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal family. She made a surprise front row appearance at his LFW show in 2018 with US Vogue editor Anna Wintour, presenting him with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.
The designer also dedicated his Spring/Summer 2023 collection to her because she inspired him “with her grace and kindness, among many others.”
Each piece in the new collection is “designed for durability” and “realized with the future in mind.”
The show notes read:
“From internal to external structures, these works explore shape, volume, [and] Craftsmanship that recognizes the art of fashion design. ”
In some pieces, models appeared in white and black versions, both of which looked breathtakingly beautiful in each other, with bustiers and long sleeves topped with gigantic filigreed roses. Also included were midi dresses with off-the-shoulder A-lines. The dress had pockets on the lower, structured lower half with embellishments.
A flapper-fringed jumpsuit with sheer panel detailing and a Tudor-inspired crimp collar is another example of this deliberate repetition.
There was a classic white dress with a traditional wedding veil and a black crosshatch A-line midi dress with a deep plunging and bowed waistline.
Flower-themed chiffon garments also stood out in the collection. From a high neck black floral flared jumpsuit with dramatic black feathers to an oversized maxi dress also finished with feathers.
Backstage, Terry Barber, Global Creative Director of Makeup Artists at MAC Cosmetics and key artist for the show, drew inspiration from ’80s Victorian-era “mannequin skin” and the look of the characters in The Hunger. He said he received a ration.
Most models wore MAC Retro Red Matte Liquid Lipstick in Fields So Grand.
“I wanted to give the lips a defined shape,” Barber explained. “We are not overlining or stealing [erased] lips. We kept it very straight, tight and structured. In other words, it looks ultra-chic, just like Yves Saint Laurent’s models once did.
“We don’t cover up a lot when it comes to skin. We use a lot of powder and MAC’s strobe dewy tint, and use concealer and foundation all over the face, including on the eyelids and underneath, to keep the eyes almost washed out.” I went for an almost completely Victorian look paired with a very hard red pout. I also used MAC’s Pearl Tint and Pearl Highlighter on top of it.
“It’s just the skin and the lips, but these two elements work very well and are complete. The retro matte liquid lipstick has a slight base of Russian red, which Madonna wore on her Blonde Ambition tour. It’s the red that was there, that blue-red. It’s sharp. Feels So Grand is based on that.
“I applied one coat, then powdered the edges of the lips, and then another coat on top. I didn’t want them lined up. I wanted them to be free-hand. Some of the models wear nets over their faces. There are some, but that makeup doesn’t come off.”
Hairstylist Sam McKnight admitted the look was inspired by Yves Saint Laurent models from the late ’70s and early ’80s, with some models wearing their hair in vintage French rolls.
“These are high-shine, high-gloss updos styled with Sam McKnight products, including Love Me Do Nourishing Shine Oil,” said McKnight, the show’s lead hairstylist.