Here come the Harris Reed brides. In the made-over Claridges Hotel ballroom, a quartet of them walked the aisles swathed in magenta, cerulean, and seafoam veils. It was the debut of the London designer’s ‘Fluid Bridal’ range, with four silhouettes. Among them are the Camille, inspired by the sheer, slinky, first bespoke wedding dress Reed made for Camille Charriere; a chantilly lace, cowl-necked shirt dappled with crystals and flared pants that referenced what the designer wore to his own wedding; and the Debutante, which features the house-codified, bubbly fishtail bottom. Reed’s clients revel in showmanship and fantasy, more mermaid than any fixed gender.
Beyond the wedding dresses, he set out to unspool what really makes a maximalist here. “Some people define ‘maximalism’ as being ‘too much’ or without intention. I use it as a tool to character build,” Reed said of the 19 look collection, his biggest offering to date. “This season is as theatrical as we always are, but I hope there’s some more wearability. We want to really affirm the world, the lifestyle. We’re finding ways to stay based in London while growing the business on my terms.” An imminently launching interiors line is part of his brand building plan. “But we’re never going to be a ‘jeans and T-shirt girl’” brand, he added.
The sartorial sculptures that clients have lovingly repurposed as lamps for their homes remained. Lindsey Wixson opened the show in a gargantuan fuchsia bow skirt, for example. On the wearability front, he showed new tailored silhouettes, a melange of tiger prints, and various devoréd and moiréd textures. The tailoring moved away from the Savile Row-style sets and ’70s shapes he’s previously favored to incorporate elegant panniers on the hips and open backs. Elsewhere, corsets were cut with face-ensconcing necklines and halo-like loops, and caged waists exposed slivers of skin set against gold quilts, burnt cobalt blue velvets, and pink jacquards. These pieces were as much about exaggeration as ever, but they also had a new sense of release. Maybe an architectural jacquard bustier tipped with Klein blue feathers does actually go with your bootcuts.
