Giovanni Gianoni/WWD
One of Richard Quinn’s most fascinating collections to date coincided with tragic events: the grief of his father Patrick, who died in the summer aged 75.
Guests entered the flower-filled hotel ballroom and found a single white rose and a wedding photo of Quinn’s parents at their seats. „Forever in our hearts,” the card read, while an elderly Patrick sat in an empty chair next to his widow Elaine and his daughter Elaine.
Quinn celebrated the event with a dazzling display of Irish dancing by five women in frothy black tulle dresses with white and green floral embroidery.
As they pierced the vast white carpet, came a procession of cocktail dresses and evening gowns glittering with Swarovski crystals. Many came with stiff, caged skirts that mimicked the shape of the glass cupola that dominated the room.
„That dome is so angelic,” Quinn said backstage, fighting back tears.
Some of the gowns had a period quality, with their ruffles, trains and off-the-shoulder taffeta opera coats. Others were short and elegant, some belted with velvet sashes.
Long gloves accentuated the spine-tingling elegance of the scene. Top models Caroline Trentini and Jessica Stam attended the show, the latter wearing delicate beading, a gold jumpsuit and one of those opera coats.
For the finale, a live chamber orchestra and a choir performed a wonderful rendition of „Quinn.” Eskimo song written by Bob Dylan in 1967 and popularized by Manfred Mann in 1968. Its main refrain is „Come without it all; come in, you’ll see nothing like mighty Quinn.”
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