“In difficult times, fashion is always outrageous” wrote Elsa Schiaparelli, one of the most celebrated Italian fashion designers of the interwar period. A great friend of the Surrealists, and something of a Surrealist herself, Schiaparelli was a passionate rule-breaker, always looking for ways to see things differently, challenging assumptions about beauty and pushing the boundaries of fashion. Her exquisite yet maverick designs were on my mind as much as her philosophy of fashion when I went to The Londoner to see Richard Quinn’s London Fashion Week presentation, and to see the approach Walpole member, Royal Salute, had taken to collaborating with one of the most exciting and iconoclastic designers on the London fashion scene.
Fashion even in less difficult times, particularly in London, is always a high octane combination of the edgy and the beautiful. The crowd it attracts is outre and performative, its exhibitionist qualities in full sway under the insatiable glare of social media. And fashion collaborations are hard - I’ve seen many where the collaborating brand is eclipsed by the eclat of the designer - but at their best they bring an exciting and cutting edge creative energy in which both collaborators are seen with new, fresh eyes, and where a whole new audience is introduced to each partner.
At first glance, Richard Quinn’s floral-meets-fetish aesthetic is an interesting one for Royal Salute, but perhaps because Royal Salute has always been a blend, albeit a very high-end discerning and elegant one, the collaborative process has been seamlessly successful; developing a clever mix is hard wired into what they do. And Royal Salute x Richard Quinn really works - it helps that Quinn is a self-confessed whisky fan, and that floral notes are a key element of Royal Salute’s flavour DNA whilst big overblown blooms are a defining visual signature for Quinn. It comes across not only as fresh, but as audacious and authentic - with a little touch of Schiaparelli’s outrageousness. Sometimes it takes a master blender to put together unexpected ingredients that bring out the very best in each other.
"In difficult times, fashion is always outrageous."
Elsa Schiaparelli
Walpole member Royal Salute, the master of exceptionally aged Scotch whisky, has unveiled the first release of its Couture Collection; a new line of collectable whiskies celebrating cutting-edge creativity in fashion. The inaugural expression of the new collection has been designed in collaboration with rising star in British couture fashion, Richard Quinn. Unveiled during London Fashion Week, the 21 Year Old Richard Quinn Edition is inspired by the designer’s unique style of reinterpreting classic flower patterns with a modern and edgy twist. The resulting bespoke and vivid print adorns a limited edition flagon, available in two colourways, perfectly capturing the creative harmony between Royal Salute and Richard Quinn – balancing the beauty and elegance of rose petals with a contemporary edge represented by thorns.
The collaboration between Royal Salute and Richard Quinn is rooted in a shared desire to push their craft beyond expectation. Pushing the boundaries of whisky blending is at the heart of Royal Salute, whilst Richard Quinn’s bold, elegant and emotive style has seen him receive critical acclaim, notably from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, honouring his work with the prestigious ‘Award for British Design’ in 2018.
“Being able to spark creatively with Royal Salute has been an amazing experience. Witnessing craftsmanship and innovation within different expertise has always fascinated me, so exploring the world of expertly blended and high-aged whisky for the first time was such a powerful source of inspiration. The collaboration has been a real creative process and I’m thrilled that the expression that resulted from this great partnership encapsulates both of our passions in a truly modern way. I love the thought that my designs for Royal Salute will be collected and treasured for years to come by whisky and fashion lovers around the world.”
Richard Quinn
With leading expertise in the art of blending, inside the eye-catching flagons is an equally stand-out new 21 Year Old blend, which has been crafted by Royal Salute’s renowned Master Blender Sandy Hyslop who hand-selected more than 31 rare single malts and grain whiskies, and all matured for a minimum of 21 years. The resulting Scotch has a stunning floral and fragrant character, mirroring the design of the flagons, with profound depth and a pleasing structure of oak and spice.
Royal Salute’s impact on the global fashion stage is set to last with a second expression within the Couture Collection, an ultra-limited expression with a stunning new design and blend, cited for release in 2022.
The Royal Salute Couture Collection 21 Year Old Richard Quinn Edition will be released in limited quantities from September 2021, and available at select luxury retailers worldwide.
