Jason Lloyd-Evans takes us behind the scene at Harris Reed during London Fashion Week.

The performative, transformative nature of dress has always been at the heart of the Harris Reed brand. Clothing can amplify the character of the wearer or alternatively communicate the role, or even gender they wish to portray. This sense of life lived as a dramatic performance is reflected in the collection title ‘All The World’s A Stage’ and the theatrical theme runs throughout; from the upcycled theatre drapes that have been repurposed as gold lamé fabric, to the harlequin motif, the show’s setting in the round, and the pure enjoyment of dressing up that these looks celebrate.

Pageant Queens meet Henry Moore in an unlikely splicing of references. The Pageant Queen’s winning sash is draped and wrapped across dresses and reimagined as a giant structured shawl. Corsetry is used to play with silhouettes, at some times exaggerating the waist, at others featuring unexpected shapes that appear to be placed off-kilter, changing the balance of the natural form.

This demi-couture collection celebrates the process of getting dressed; a sculptural bustier is paired with hip drapes and harlequin tights, apparently awaiting the crinoline skirt that should sit on top, fishtail skirting is upturned, reminiscent of someone mid-change with their skirt fanning out upwards, and a bustier almost reveals the chest, as if put on too quickly and moved the wrong way, capturing a glimpse of deshabille. These moments are frozen in time exposing beauty in finding new shapes and parts of the body to reveal, seeing sensuality through different angles.