FOUND.

For Harris Reed, there was only one option for the name of his September 2021 demi-couture collection: Found. It summarises the state of mind which the designer was feeling as the collection was put together, and the nature of its realisation.

At The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, the designer presents his first salon style show, as performative art that allows this feeling - an amalgamation of resourcefulness, acceptance and ingenuity - to manifest.

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As both a response to Reed’s continuing effort to grow a responsible brand and a resourcefulness that granted the designer the opportunity to play with a consortium of extravagant fabrics, the majority of the elements shown today have already lived a life cycle as a different garment, and were purchased by Reed from Oxfam. Some of these pieces were off-the-peg, others clearly hand-stitched by a loved one, now they’re all given a new existence, courtesy of Reed’s ever-exuberant hand.

For their second lifecycle, Reed has undone seams, meticulously reconstructing garments with - quite literally - Harris Reed’s signature flare, repurposing lace veils, morning jackets and other elements that make up what we think of as the wedding day standard.

Found in this collection is that message of fluidity that has become Reed’s raison d’etre. Set against the constructive binary of the “his” and “hers” wardrobe, the Harris Reed DNA takes flight.

Though the overall message is one of fluidity, Reed offered himself constricts to work around, challenging himself as a designer. The strict black and white colour palette he has worked with takes on the meaning of all that represents the heteronormativity that surrounds the wedding day ideology, with Reed working to liberate these pieces from this binary construct to move them into a more romantic, fluid reality. See that through a tiered wedding dress spliced with groomsmen tailoring or bridal lace steered by a reworking of a 19th Century waistcoat, sourced by Reed.

“Working with these older pieces has offered me a fresh insight into construction. While breathing new life into these looks, I’ve been able to hone my techniques and learn from the original state of the garment,” he shares.

Headlining the show with their haunting vocals is musician Kelsey Lu. It was their music that soundtracked the collection’s inception, coming full circle to accompany Reed’s show debut.

A look from FOUND will be displayed in the Selfridges X Oxfam space, curated by stylist Bay Garnett and will be available for special purchase, with all proceeds going to Oxfam.

“Oxfam is thrilled to be working with Harris Reed, who shows it’s possible to transform a second-hand wedding dress into haute couture gracing the runway. This month, Oxfam is asking people to only shop second-hand as part of their Second Hand September campaign to raise awareness about the harmful effects of fast fashion – clothes that are produced in high volume and at relatively low cost to the consumer – have on the planet. Upcycling is a brilliant way to breathe new life into clothes and tailor what you find in a charity shop to your tastes. This way we can help protect our planet by giving clothes a longer life, while raising money to help people around the world beat poverty.” Lorna Fallon, Retail Director at Oxfam.

With special thanks to: