Richard Quinn Doesn’t Really Do Quiet Luxury
When Richard Quinn burst onto the scene with his graduate collection in 2016, all things “trad” had yet to be considered cool. Which is why the fashion world probably responded so fervently to his reinvention of midcentury tropes and retro florals. In a relatively short time, Quinn has earned a devoted and varied clientele that spans from Cardi B to Sarah Jessica Parker.
With each collection, Quinn has stayed true to that perspective, never bending even as the mood trended towards minimalism. For spring 2025, the designer was inspired by the old-school idea of dressing for an occasion with pieces that were, per his show notes, “designed with the most meaningful moments of our lives in mind...the clothes are to be inextricably linked with the time, place and memory of the wearing.” Since he does some business in bridalwear, it makes sense that special occasions of all kinds were on his mind with this collection (which included multiple blushing brides).
He stuck to the ’40s and ’50s-inspired silhouettes he has become known for, mixed with a little bit of the ’80s flair that has already become a running trope of this season, at shows including Carolina Herrera and Khaite.
Quiet luxury is not really part of Quinn’s vocabulary. He went for exuberant luxury instead, punctuating many of his looks with rosettes and bows. The proportions, too, were maximalist: sweeping floral gowns, opera coats, and a red-and-white valentine of a dress. The detail work felt of another time, with pieces carefully encrusted in sequins or embellished with sprays of feathers. Splashes of turquoise, red, and yellow evoked the technicolor palette of a bygone era.
Many of the models wore netted veils that played into Quinn’s longstanding fascination with concealing and revealing, which he’s explored before by dressing them in face-obscuring masks and long gloves. The peekaboo opening look felt a bit more daring than his usual—but who says a special occasion has to be a stuffy one?
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