APRIL | COVER FEATURE
sales manager tells Access: “Richard remembered
the Halls as he used to work here years ago at the
Gant sample sales when he was a fashion student
at Central St. Martins. He remembered the Halls
fondly and the synchronicity with his floral
prints tied in well with his collection.
“We were approached by Richard himself in
January. He had the idea that the show would
be staged at the House of Richard Quinn. The
huge façade of the house stretching the width of
the Lawrence Hall would reveal a raised central
staircase, at the top of which would be a grand
piano with a live singer underneath a huge
crystal chandelier. These aspects were central
to his vision. He also wanted 600 guests to see
the show and three runways, plus ample room
for the after party in the same venue but without
interfering with the ambiance of the show.
“There were plenty of last-minute changes
with redesigns of the house’s fascia, so the doors
swung inside, and the load had to be spread
evenly over the floor so not to incur any damage.
"The build was complex and large-scale, so
we allowed them to load in and build overnight
on Saturday. The lower ground floor of the hall
allowed for a lot of space for back of house with
dressing, hair and make-up, which worked well
for his garments, a lot of which were voluminous
and delicate.”
Quinn and his models assemble at RHH
Richard Quinn.
The young British
designer, whose
parents come
from Co Meath,
has taken London
Fashion Week by
storm. His floral
prints – all made
in London – in his
signature exuberant,
maximalist, operatic
shapes have been
worn by Amal
Clooney (to the
Met Ball), Jennifer
Lopez, Beyoncé
and Kendall Jenner
among others. He has
also just launched an
affordable collection
in collaboration with
Depop (an app for
preloved fashion).
Access examines Royal Horticultural Hall’s
Lawrence Hall space, the home chosen by Richard
Quinn himself
Lawrence Hall can be utilised for a variety
of events including exhibitions, film sets and
fashion shows, and can accommodate up
to 1,500 for a standing reception, 900 for
dinner, 750 for dinner dance and 1,000 for a
conference.
THE INTERIOR: An art deco style building,
the Hall offers a dramatic vaulted ceiling and
1,600sqm of floor space to play with. The foyer
entrance, featured in numerous movies, has
original cinema-style turnstiles and sparkling
marble tiles making this a grand entrance for
any event.
Whether you want to hire for filming, an
exhibition or a fashion show, this venue has
plenty of break out rooms and catering areas
downstairs.
THE EXTERIOR: Located off a leafy green
square, Lawrence Hall features a grand
entrance and period features.
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