Fashion Week is all about the fresh and the new, but there’s much to be said for the enduring appeal of a classically elegant aesthetic, too. For those with a penchant for the latter, British designer Richard Quinn is one of the biggest highlights of the London Fashion Week schedule – and is often dubbed the city’s answer to couture.
For the AW25 season, Quinn hosted a spectacular show at Westminster’s grand Lindley Hall, that was transformed into an old-world winter wonderland for the occasion complete with falling snow, Georgian architecture, twinkling street lamps and classical music. Models emerged in glamorous, heavily embroidered gowns fit for a palace soirée – and so it felt particularly fitting that there be a few royal-adjacent people sat on the front row.
FIND OUT MORE ON ELLE COLLECTIVE
Diana, Princess of Wales’ twin nieces, Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer, were both in attendance, and paid sartorial homage to their aunt for the occasion – whether willingly or not. The duo arrived at the show in chic, co-ordinating black-and-white dresses, reminiscent of a number of legendary looks worn by Diana over the years.
Not only was the timeless black-and-white look one of Princess Diana’s favourite colour combinations for royal occasions, but the necklines on the Spencer sisters’ dresses were seriously Diana-coded, too – albeit decidedly more plunging.
Lady Amelia even recalled the Princess’ iconic ‘revenge dress’ moment by pairing her low-cut monochrome mini with sheer black tights and black pointed pumps.
This isn’t the first time the Spencer sisters have taken a leaf our of their aunt’s style book, either. At last year’s Fashion Awards, the duo stepped out in co-ordinating off-the-shoulder black gowns and diamond necklaces, that drew instant comparisons to the legendary 1994 ensemble Diana, Princess of Wales wore following her husband’s public admission of infidelity.
ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.
