Known for crazy red carpet moments and ‘70s-inspired splendour, Harris Reed’s vision for the future of fashion is to create a fluid environment to live in, and his new ‘Fluid Basics Line’ adds a fresh, laid-back dimension to that vision.
The line contains seven luxurious wardrobe staples intended to embody the brand philosophy of inclusivity and fluidity. Tanks and T-shirts are reinterpreted with a Harris Reed flair and the label placements are inspired by old corsets, experimenting with the concept of ruching and gathering.
A blazer with broad 70s-inspired lapels has a wrap-tie waist, while Harris Reed flares are reworked in jersey for a more relaxed look. The collection’s rich fabrication, timeless colours, and casual silhouette are at its foundation.
“I wanted to open up the world of Harris Reed, by making a more accessible and wearable collection, for those who want to live out their fluid fantasy every day,” Reed said. “I reimagined wardrobe staples, and created something totally new and authentically Harris Reed. Creating Fluid Basics helps further my message; fighting for the beauty of fluidity.”
After catching the eye of stylist Harry Lambert during his early years of college, the designer began dressing Harry Styles before working at Gucci under Alessandro Michele’s creative guidance. In true Gen Z fashion, it was Instagram that helped Lambert discover Reed in 2017.
Reed posted his first project for college online and hours later, he received a message from Lambert, asking to borrow the look for a shoot. Days later, Lambert requested some sketches from Reed for a client, but refused to say who. We now know that client was Harry Styles.
Last year, Reed was asked by Anna Wintour to design an outfit for Styles’ cover shoot with vogue. In only six days, he designed a black suit with exaggerated square shoulders and wide-leg trousers. A ball-gown skirt exploded from Styles’ waist, with white tulle and Fuschia ribbon draped over a black architectural frame. The style foreshadowed Reed’s aesthetic, which he revealed on the eve of London Fashion Week in February when he unveiled a collection in which spray-painted tulle exploding at the hip, shoulder, or rib was often accented with pieces of men’s suiting.
Styles was a proponent of gender-neutrality long before Vogue, but it was his collaborations with brands like Reed’s that really put it on the map.
Fluid Basics will launch in December and will be available from major retailers including Bergdorf Goodman, MATCHESFASHION and Le Bon Marché. Prices range from £111-£276 / $128 -$318 / €128 – €318