In July 2021 we partnered with renowned fashion designer Charles Jeffrey to create spectacular designs for the theatre’s iconic Red Coats. Offering gender neutral, cutting-edge designs for all, LOVERBOY’s collaboration with The Lane has created a uniform that adds creative fashion flair to the building.

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."

Charles Jeffrey champions diversity within his designs, LOVERBOY is the result of the egalitarian spirit his tribe of friends and creative collaborators share. From artists and performers to musicians, drag queens and poets, the team behind The Lane noticed the infectious energy LOVERBOY exudes and wanted to include this ethos in the building's restoration

Charles Jeffrey was inspired by the vision of what The Lane could become and created a design that reflected a space for swathes of different people, all in the pursuit of being entertained. His distinct creation of modernist Red Coats brings a new fashion element to The Lane. 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 Jeffrey, Creative Director of LOVERBOY, the catalyst for his design started in an exploration of colour.

Charles Jeffrey commented “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.” Every detail visible within the collection was also inspired by creative elements internally and externally of the building.