Since showing his work to Queen Elizabeth II at London Fashion Week, Richard Quinn’s fame has grown exponentially — more than the young South London designer could have imagined. Today, he joined us in a conversation with Hilary Alexander OBE to discuss his career and what advice he can offer to young creatives who aspire to have a place in the fashion industry.
Inspired by the movies of the 1950’s, Quinn’s designs have become famous for their beautiful shapes and signature floral patterns.
Graduating from Central Saint Martins as a fashion and print designer in 2016, Quinn has been the first designer to have the honour of the Queen attending one of his shows. Ever since, Quinn has been mentioned by many important titles worldwide, and his fame grew again when, in May 2018, Amal Clooney wore one of his pieces to attend the Met Gala.
Quinn is now working on creating a collection with as little waste as possible. His past collections have been made from recycled plastic bottles, and his pieces are produced locally.
Quinn is known to be a great businessman, his brand has seen a rapid expansion, with around 50 stores (online and physical) opened all over the world within three years of his graduation. In his spare time, Quinn likes to spend time with his family. Very supportive of their child, his parents have raised him to always be humble and act nicely, advice that he now gives to whoever is entering the industry.
Quinn looks to expand his own career while also trying to help other young talents create and develop through internships within his brand.
He advises young people to “never underestimate how expensive a catwalk show can be! In my case, the production of the first season was very basic, but I built from that and my shows got bigger over time. Don’t start in this industry if you’re not sure of it, I spent most nights in my studio when I was preparing my first show, and that happens to anyone who wants to be successful!”
Finally, when asked about what will come next for his brand, the designer answered “ I’d like to make the show bigger. I want everyone to come, have bigger settings and make the overall display a lot bigger”.
Written by Sara Liberati
Photography by Deborah Iona