Queen Elizabeth II made her first visit to London Fashion Week to present an award recognizing British excellence.
The recipient of the Inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design was Richard Quinn, who graduated from the Central Saint Martins M.A. program in 2016. This marks the second collection for the young designer, who started his own label in 2016 and has quickly earned recognition as part of the next wave of talented young British designers. His awe-inspiring floral designs made for a particularly dazzling display on the runway.
Her Majesty thanked the British Fashion Council for nominating Quinn and paid tribute to Britain’s fashion history.
“From the tweed of the Hebrides to Nottingham lace, and of course Carnaby Street, our fashion industry has been renowned for outstanding craftsmanship for many years, and continues to produce world-class textiles and cutting-edge fashion designs.”
The prize is the first of its kind in the U.K. and is due to be awarded annually.
The British Fashion Council’s Caroline Rush noted in her speech, Quinn’s contribution to fashion goes beyond clothes. He’s invited students and his fellow designers to share the resources in his print studio in Peckham, and that sense of community is more vitally important than ever.