Richard Quinn Spring 2027 Ready-to-Wear Collection

At Richard Quinn it’s evening dresses all day long, all year long, always and forever. It’s transformed his shows into a kind of social spectacle not seen at any other London labels: an occasion on which his clients will come out in their Richard Quinn grand occasion-wear to enjoy themselves together at six in the evening.

“I think to have the staying-power of building a brand, you have to be really saturated with what you do,” he said backstage. “And a lot of our customers are in London all the time, so it’s great to have them come to the show.” Wise words from a business-minded designer who has gone all out to provide wedding and event-wear, won the loyalty of an international clientele, and is still only 35 years old.

On his mirrored, chandelier-hung runway, we saw a parade of options rather than surprises. In terms of comparisons, he is, perhaps, the Elie Saab of London, or rather Peckham, where he has his atelier, couture salon and fabric print business. His signatures are renderings of couture silhouettes, embellished with embroideries, trimmed with ostrich, and refined and streamlined to be more wearable with each season.

“It’s all about that hyper-glamour, kind of like the ’80s,” he smiled backstage, as Helena Christensen closed the show. Besides the 42 top-range gowns he’d just put on the runway, he added that the show acts as an ad for his online business. “We have a really beautiful ready-to-wear line that’s now online on our website, and a shop within Liberty which is working very nicely for us too.”