Renowned fashion designer Charles Jeffrey has partnered with Andrew and Madeleine Lloyd Webber to create new uniforms to be worn by the Theatre Royal Drury Lane’s hospitality team.
Affectionately known as “The Lane”, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane teams up with Jeffrey, to reimagine the theatre’s iconic Red Coats with a cutting-edge, gender-neutral design, that look set to add even more of creative fashion flair to the historic building.
First launched in 1989, Red Coats are LW Theatres’ esteemed luxury hospitality team, offering exceptionally high-end service in all LW Theatres venues. It is a role steeped in British history, based on the traditional Toastmasters who would oversee hosting and entertaining for British society.
For Charles, who serves as Creative Director of LOVERBOY, the catalyst for his design started in an exploration of colour – as well as taking inspiration from creative elements internally and externally of the theatre building.
The lining of the jacket is inspired by the Greek Revival architecture seen throughout the regal theatre, which is mimicked in symbols from the SPACER’S RUNIC (Fictional International Code of Signals for Space) that represent friendship and communication. An inherent part of LOVERBOY’s work, so symbols and signs were an obvious inclusion.
Commenting on the new uniforms, Jeffrey says: “I see the Red Coats as arbiters of information, they have such rich distinction that when I started thinking about how to reinterpret their classic uniforms, I felt compelled to explore ‘Red in Art’ (i.e. Rothko) and ‘Red in Semiotics’ as key vehicles to drive the manifestation of these designs.”
“Theatre Royal Drury Lane also has its own extensive art collection, including illustrations by costume designer Cecil Beaton himself, which allowed me to peer into the stories and experiences the Red Coats might have had at the theatre. Working with Andrew, Madeleine and the whole LW Theatres team to find the Red Coats place in today’s interpretation of the theatre has been incredibly inspiring.”
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On working with Charles Jeffrey, Madeleine Lloyd Webber commented: “Charles Jeffrey is changing the face of fashion with his avant-garde designs. As we undertook the enormous project of reimagining Theatre Royal Drury Lane, we knew we wanted to redesign our iconic Red Coats. Charles’ singular perspective, inspired creativity and incredible ethos made this an easy choice. I was particularly inspired by how Charles’ designs seemed to reflect and pay tribute to the magnificent architecture of Theatre Royal Drury Lane, which we have painstakingly restored to its former glory. We are absolutely thrilled with the result and can’t wait to see The Lane’s new Red Coats welcoming guests for months and years to come.”
