An Interview with Dean Quinn

I recently caught up with fashion designer Dean Quinn at the Hospital Club, where Dean was a creative in residence for 2010. He's just returned from Italy, designing for Versace and now he's off to New York and ready to set up his own label!

So you are moving to New York and starting your own label. What's next for you?
I am hoping that my move to New York will be a new beginning for me and my brand but I also believe that this is all just one continuous journey. Fashion on the whole is changing and it is so exciting as it is bringing with it this whole new democracy that was never in place before. I was worried when I put my brand on hold to go to Milan not least due to the fact that I had just secured 6 new international accounts but there was also concern on my behalf because I feared it would be impossible to come back from the corporate world and be satisfied.
I believe that to make it internationally you have to be an international brand. I am not a British designer, American designer, Milanese designer but an international designer working towards a very specific goal for myself and vision..

You've finished your residency at the Hospital Club - was it beneficial for you?
The residency was beneficial for me particularly due to the many ways in which the space itself acts as so many things. It can be anything from a meeting space to a presentation place. The opportunities are endless.

Did you enjoy designing for Versace?
Working in Milan was the experience of a lifetime. I am so lucky to have been able to experience working within Gianni's company, although it's a different place today from he was alive. For me he will always be one of the visionaries that made me fall in love with this industry.

What can we expect to see next from you?
I am moving forward with my career and into a territory I am extremely excited about. I want to continue working for companies as well as designing my own label. I have a very different dream to most designers. For me personally, success would be maintaining a company where everyone is happy and has the quality of life that should match the passion they have for their work.

Can you tell me more about the cream jacket/skirt at the Hospital Club exhibit?
The gown from the exhibition is a small peak at the future of my brand. I want to create collections where every garment is desirable to all women and not just a catwalk or editorial shot. I guess it's time for me to become a realist whilst maintaining the aesthetic people initially loved about my work. That balance is what truly interests me.