The title MISE EN SCÈNE references the collective effort, community and collaboration that goes into every Harris Reed collection. This season, Reed explores the performative nature of dress, taking inspiration from the rigorous codes of a debutante ball. These traditionally female tropes; crinolines, corsets, headpieces and embellishments, are reimagined for a new fluid society taking centre stage.
The structure of gowns are exaggerated and inverted to create new silhouettes; a ball gown is literally upturned, its inner workings forced up above the model’s head and caged in technical organza, whilst a white silk cape takes its cue from a crinoline that is upended and worn on the back. Excessive metres of duchess satin, that might be expected to pool along the floor as a train, are instead elevated and create a huge orb around the wearer, focusing attention on their face.
Colours are rich and regal; peacock and royal blue, chartreuse and fuchsia are offset by black velvet, and white silk.
Proportions are exaggerated and distorted creating theatrical shapes including fishtail and ballet-like skirts, cinched in waists and oversized bustles that drape across the hips. Costume jewellery reaches new extremes, with celestial and lunar symbols cascading over the chest as a breastplate made in collaboration with long term jewellery partner Missoma.
The headpieces are created with brand collaborator Vivienne Lake, in bluebell and spherical forms that balance and elongate silhouettes.
This demi-couture collection combines the rigours of traditional dressmaking with the liberation and experimentation on which Harris Reed thrives. As always, deadstock fabric has been given a new life in these designs.
“It’s not a concert you are seeing, it’s a fashion show.” – Freddie Mercury
ENDS.
ABOUT HARRIS REED
Fighting for the beauty of fluidity, half-American, half-British Harris Reed designs to create conversation. Growing up with a strong sense of self, Reed was able to quickly understand the transformative power of clothing and its correlation with identity and liberation. Reed’s design process takes inspiration from the current social and political issues that Reed feels most connected to. The work Reed creates is built from assessing the responsibility that fashion has to spark conversation in relation to the injustices that are happening within society today, yet all while staying true to the brand’s ethos that strives for a vision of gender fluidity and inclusivity. The overall DNA of the Harris Reed brand and personal identity, is best described as Romanticism Gone Nonbinary. It puts the wearer and their fluidity – in whatever way it manifests front and centre. Personally, Reed dresses themselves to invite the looks and stares, to blur the preconceived fault-lines people have about gender and sexuality.
For Reed, fashion is truly revolutionary and has a huge role to play in pushing the world to a more expressive and accepting place – using his platforms to share personal visionary values, to help those seeking acceptance and self-love. Aside from fashion, Reed is also well known for his campaign and relationship with Gucci, as well as being an innovative key figure within the new generation of young creatives, whose work marries genres from fashion, film, beauty, culture and the digital world through a gender fluid lens.
Credit
With special thanks to:
Music: Adam Lambert | Beauty: Make-Up Look designed by Sofia Tilbury using Charlotte Tilbury Beauty & Skincare | Hair: Ali Pirzadeh @ CLM assisted by Tommy Stayton | Nails: Simone Cummings @ CLM | Styling: Harry Lambert @ Bryant | Casting: Nachum Shonn @Bryant | Movement Direction: Simon Donnellon | Production: FAMILY | Footwear: Custom Jimmy Choo Govi Boots |Millinery: Harris Reed in collaboration with Vivienne Lake | Jewellery: Harris Reed X Missoma
Sponsors: Charlotte Tilbury, Jimmy Choo | Harris Reed Team: Phoebe Briggs, Hannah Sheridan, Tamara Cojuhari,Rebecca Bean, Maria Aguilar, Jacob Byrne, Mia Coco Chambers, Ennis Finnerty Mackay, Stephanie Finney
Thank you to: Daisy Hoppen, Sherrill Smith, Jessica Batty, Taya Good, Lynette Reed, Nick Reed, Eitan Senerman, Elli Jafari & The Standard London, & everyone who has pulled together to support British Fashion in these challenging times
PR Agency DH PR London