Harris Reed took upcycling to new ranges at London Vogue Week
Final evening, American designer Harris Reed mounted his September ’21 present inside the ethereal surrounds of the Counterspace-designed Serpentine Gallery Pavillion. The Dom Pérignon was flowing, the late-September air was brisk and the assembled throng of choose trend editors have been champing on the diamond-encrusted bit for the final present of the London Vogue week season.
And though the gender-fluid seems themselves, worn by fashions standing on plinths dotted across the house, impressed with all their attribute drama – and Kelsey Lu's rendition of 10cc's “I'm not in love” offered a suitably haunting sonic backdrop to proceedings – it was actually the way by which the garments have been created, behind the scenes, which quietly stole the present.
This was the primary time that Reed, who just lately dressed mannequin and entrepreneur Iman Abdulmajid for the Met Gala 2021, introduced a set in a bodily format. Partly to mitigate the price of producing his intricately crafted demi-couture garments, and partly to assist deal with the style business's burgeoning waste difficulty, he made your entire assortment out of second-hand items sourced from Oxfam.
Titled “Discovered”, the ten-piece providing featured, amongst different issues, a black and white chevron satin night swimsuit, completed with a signature Reed kick flare, which was crafted out of a number of totally different cast-off tuxedos. Elsewhere, a meshy over layer in pearlescent hues had been crafted from the lace offcuts of long-since disregarded wedding ceremony clothes.
The entire temper was very fashionable Miss Havisham – if fashionable Miss Havisham possessed a bit extra gumption than her Victorian predecessor and with it a make-do-and-mend spirit.
“Working with these older items has supplied me a recent perception into building," explains Reed. "Whereas respiratory new life into these seems, I’ve been capable of hone my strategies and be taught from the unique state of the garment.”
In a bid to boost funds for Oxfam, Reed might be donating one of many seems from Discovered to be exhibited inside the Oxfam present house in London division retailer Selfridges. Curated by the Vogue-anointed “Queen of Thrift” Bay Garnett, the distinctive look might be in the stores, with all proceeds going to the charity.
“Oxfam is thrilled to be working with Harris Reed, who exhibits it’s doable to rework a second-hand wedding ceremony gown into high fashion gracing the runway. This month, Oxfam is asking folks to solely store second-hand as a part of its Second Hand September marketing campaign to boost consciousness in regards to the dangerous results of quick trend – garments which might be produced in excessive quantity and at comparatively low price to the buyer – have on the planet.” Says Lorna Fallon, Retail Director at Oxfam. “Upcycling is a superb technique to breathe new life into garments and tailor what you discover in a charity store to your tastes. This fashion, we may help shield our planet by giving garments an extended life, whereas elevating cash to assist folks world wide beat poverty.”
