Stylish Queen makes Fashion Week debut
BRITAIN: The Queen has always dressed with style and flair – but yesterday marked her first visit to the showy catwalks of London Fashion Week.
The British monarch squeezed into the front row, chatting with American Vogue editor Anna Wintour, and presented an award recognising British design excellence.
It was an unusual outing for the 91-year-old monarch, who seemed totally at ease at the type of event usually frequented by stars like Kate Moss and Sienna Miller.
The Queen didn’t bother with the statement stiletto heels favoured by many of the younger fashionistas, opting for sensible dark low-heeled court shoes.
The recipient of the first Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design was Richard Quinn, a recent fashion graduate of Central Saint Martins who started his own London-based label in 2016 and has quickly earned recognition as part of the next wave of talented young British designers.
His provocative show included a model wearing what appeared to be a decorated green motorcycle helmet with a dark visor along with black and white polka dot leggings and a gauzy top with different-sized dots.
The royal family has often hosted Fashion Week receptions for top British designers and journalists, but the new award and the Queen’s personal visit have added a new dimension to its support for the industry.
The Queen also toured showrooms before presenting the award on the final day of Fashion Week, taking to the catwalk to praise Britain’s fashion heritage.
‘‘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, practical designs,’' she said.
The Queen’s visit followed a Buckingham Palace fashion reception hosted on Tuesday by Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, attended by Wintour, model Naomi Campbell, designer Stella McCartney and other luminaries of the fashion scene.