Ena Quinn is a fashion producer who counts big name fashion brands such as Erdem, Chanel and Stella McCartney as clients …
As a producer whose client list includes Victoria Beckham, Stella McCartney, Erdem, Loewe, Chanel and Calvin Klein, Bray native Ena Quinn is no stranger to fashion week. Based in London and working as Head of Experiential at North Six, a luxury fashion production agency, Quinn helps to shape the narrative of the runway show at a time when fashion is obsessed with viral catwalk ‘moments’. Quinn has also found a passion project in Unfolding, a talent incubator for Irish fashion creatives abroad, that she co-founded last year with fellow Irish fashion insider Niamh O’Donoghue.
My job as a fashion producer means I cover a little bit of everything. We are the person in the eye of the storm, so to speak; connecting suppliers, agents and creative and PR teams with the designer. We liaise on the location, draw the floor plans, build the schedule and, most importantly, look after the budget. More and more, my job is also producing the content shoots that happen before, during and after the show itself.
The madness of fashion week has its ‘gird your loins’ moments. This season, the shows I’m working on fall on the same day which is unusual, but I’m rolling with it. Usually, I’ll wake up early and head straight to the location. Firstly, I’ll get – or, if I’m lucky, I’ll be brought – breakfast. I cannot function when hungry! Usually, I’ll do a walk-through of the location with my team. If it’s a load-in day, we oversee the build and deal with any last minute requests. If it’s show day the backstage call time is three hours before the show so it’s very much a ‘gird your loins’ approach once we open the doors backstage and the madness commences.
I like to oversee the rehearsal and usually get involved with backstage teams as we send the models out. Then I’ll regroup with the designer and their team to check when we’re ready to go. After show one, I usually grab a Lime bike to the next location. This season, I’ll probably be taking taxis as I’m nearly eight months pregnant and I promised my mother I’d be careful! After a very unglamorous load out, if we are lucky to get out at a decent time I’ll bring the team to the closest pub for a drink to decompress. Usually, I’ll be chasing runway photos to get out to PR teams and to Vogue Runway within a few hours. The show video can take anywhere from an overnight edit to a three month process depending on the brand.
The coolest thing you can wear on the front row at fashion week is a look from the designer’s last show, of course. (Without sunglasses – only Anna Wintour gets away with those.)
My top tip for surviving fashion month in style is plenty of sleep, water, Crocs, having a partner who supports, and occasionally feeds, you. It truly is survival of the fittest but you have to keep your head. At the end of the day, it’s only a fashion show. I’m quite good at remaining calm as every disaster that could happen at a show has happened to me before and the show always goes on.
I always carry my laptop and I carry a mini production kit with the basics like a tape measure, plasters, safety pins, a stop watch, SPF, and nail varnish remover for the models. Plus, I always have some snacks!
I’ve worked with designers from Chanel to Burberry, Bottega Veneta to Erdem, Stella McCartney to Calvin Klein. Working with Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen was a career highlight. She always sent each of the team a thank you card which was most appreciated.
My most slept on designer is certainly not a sleeper hit in London, but I think perhaps the Christopher Kane shows should have had more fanfare. I’m very excited to see what he does at Mulberry.
As for newcomers, my one to watch is Swedish-born, Central St Martin’s graduate Petra Fagerström. She’s showing at the NEWGEN catwalk space this season. Her pieces are gorgeous and so wearable. Harry Lambert [the noted fashion stylist who works with Harry Styles, Josh O’Connor and Emma Corrin] is on styling so you know it’s going to be great.
Paris Fashion Week is different to London; French teams are used to saying non. Paris is far more serious, all of the international press attend. For a designer entering the schedule, or even a long-established brand trying to hold onto their place, the pressure is huge. The budgets are astronomical. Sometimes, it can be difficult working with French teams because there is a lot of strict bureaucracy. London is young and scrappy, we make magic happen for tiny budgets. People think of London as a starting point, but there’s a reason why JW Anderson, Phoebe Philo, Sarah Burton and Daniel Lee are all based here.
The Irish designer I’m most excited about is Michael Stewart, who helms Standing Ground. I worked on his couture show at Paris Fashion Week in July and it was a real highlight. The whole experience was collaborative. We’ve worked together for the last two years so I felt like he trusted me and respected my opinion. There is no ego there so it felt like a team effort.
When I’m in Paris, I love any corner brasserie for dinner or to people-watch as I work on my next project deck. I usually stay at Hôtel Amor as it’s easy for the Eurostar and I love Ten Belles for breakfast. If I don’t have an early call time the next morning, I’ll have a drink at Le Syndicat. There is absolutely no chill during Paris Fashion Week, but if I had time I’d go to an art gallery for a wander: 20 minutes with Monet’s Water Lilies at Musée de l’Orangerie can calm any nervous system.
The coolest dressers you see in Paris are the most relaxed ones. The coolest looks are the people you see every season on set, gathered around the catering table having a catch up. People are wearing casual trousers and a tee but you know they’re likely Old Celine or by a cool new designer at Dover Street Market. @enakathleenquinn
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