Romanticism gone non-binary
– Haris Reed
There are few roles more hallowed in fashion than that of the creative director. It connotes many things: style, originality, a little bit of genius and basically being the shit. That’s why it’s a surprise to no one that Nina Ricci’s newest creative director comes in the form of gender-fluid 26-year-old Harris Reed, widely known for their ‘romanticism gone non-binary’ demi-couture aesthetic.
You may know them for their work with Harry Styles, or maybe even their showgirl-esque Met Gala look for the Iman, but we’re here to give the skinny on where they started, what they’ve done, and how they got here.
Harris Reed is the offspring of two very creative individuals, American model and artist Lynette Reed, and Oscar award-winning British docu-film producer Nicolas Reed – so it’s no surprise Reed has such creative inclinations. Attending renowned Central Saint Martins and graduating during the pandemic, her graduation piece – which came together with the help of a dumpster mannequin, £20 iron, some hardware store glue, and a singer sewing machine – was showcased online and premiered in British Vogue.
After the success of their piece, they accepted an invitation to be the designer-in-residence for the Stand Hotel in London and even went on to debut a joint candle line with their mother.
In December 2020, when British singer and actor Harry Styles became the first man to grace the cover of Vogue, Anna Wintour sought Reed to design the now infamous front page and demonstrated her innovative vision with a controversial design featuring elements of masculinity and femininity – A tailored black suit with a hoopskirt dress. The reception was surprisingly choppy, with some loving the gender-bending design and others being enraged by the sight of a man wearing a dress. Boo hoo! Here at Voir, we know no one ever made anything worthwhile without making a few people cry…
Post Vogue, Reed has gone on to win many awards and cause many iconic moments. In 2021, GQ awarded Reed with ‘Breakthrough Designer’ during their annual ‘Men Of The Year’ awards. They also launched a jewellery line with Missoma and collaborated with MAC Cosmetics to create the Harris Reed X Mac collection. The highlight of 2021, however, was the OMG moment heard across the world, when Iman stepped out in the lovechild creation between Dolce & Gabbana and Reed for the 2021 Met Gala. If the Harry Styles cover hadn’t made Reed a household fashion student name, the Met certainly did, and the rest is history. Having since gone on to be legitimised by the biggest names in media and art, amongst those, the V&A museum, The New York Times, Elle and Harpers Bizzare, it’s clear to us all that Reed is one of the biggest names in fashion to watch right now.
Their crowning as the creative director at Nina Ricci is an unsurprising one perhaps, but no less exciting, and we tip our feathered headpiece at whoevers bright idea it was to bring in one of the brightest burning lights in the industry to revolutionise the brand. All eyes on you Nina Ricci.
Words by Giuliana Zamudio-Lopez
Header image: @Ninaricci
