February 18, 2022 |
Did someone say voice of an angel? Sam Smith’s divine vocals echoed through the soaring atrium of Saint John the Evangelist church in a one-song-only, secret gig for Harris Reed. The savvy young designer has an instinct for the spectacular: why do a classic catwalk show when you can etch a theatrical moment in their memories instead?
Reed gathered a select group of editors to his off-schedule show, (entitled 60 Years a Queen after Sir Herbert Maxwell’s 1897 book to celebrate Queen Victoria’s reign) where a tableau of non-binary models emoted while Smith sang. The look melded high Victoriana with a Mick Jagger meets club-kid sense of regal swagger. Elongated tailoring in black lace or vivid yellow silk, couture-inspired fishtail skirts. The jewel-toned, oversized swags and bows were made with 100 year-old archive fabric donated by the heiress to Italy’s Bussandri upholstery dynasty and it was all all topped off with Reed’s signature halo hats.
It wasn’t a conventional runway – the models stayed rooted to the spot for the duration of Smith’s performance – but Reed is not a conventional designer. He’s blazing a trail for gender fluditiy in fashion but also for a new fashion business model. Rather than become a slave to wholesale, he has built his brand around his own, with a series of clever collaborations (including Mac, Etro, Missoma Jewellery) and unmissable red carpet moments courtesy of Emma Watson, Emma Corrin, Harry Styles and Iman.
Photography by Marc Hibbert.
