Edited by Charlotte Lewis
As London continues to change the fashion landscape, The Duveen Galleries at Tate Britain set the stage for Harris Reed’s Autumn/Winter 2025 showcase. With actress Florence Pugh opening the show with a haunting monologue, the atmosphere was charged from the start, drawing the audience into Reed’s vision. As the designer themself put it, “I want everyone to be very uncomfortable.”
Reed is known for their gender-fluid approach to fashion, celebrating both body and sexuality. What I find particularly interesting is how their designs embrace traditional masculine and feminine tropes rather than rejecting them. I always think back to Spring/Summer 2025, where we saw an evolution of Reed’s signature style and aesthetic, with a sharply defined collection narrative. Themes of romance and historical references were intricately woven together through vintage curtain lace, silk upholstery, and wallpaper—materials scavenged from eBay and car boot sales. It felt like a love letter to maximalism, with exaggerated silhouettes and intricate fabric manipulations. This collection truly marked a defining moment in Reed’s career, a standout piece of artistry that I highly recommend revisiting.
Autumn/Winter 2025 takes a striking departure from the previous season, building on its foundations while pushing the boundaries into something darker and almost confrontational. This collection leans into sharper, raw aesthetics that challenge not only conventional norms but also seem to question Reed's own past work. The shift in narrative invites viewers on a journey through Reed’s ever-evolving artistic vision, marking a bold new chapter in their design evolution.
This collection embodies themes of punk, rebellion, and discomfort—ideas that the British-American designer connects to the current political climate. These influences are evident from the outset, particularly in the sharp tailoring and bold structures. Florence Pugh set the tone in a tailored, structured corset with pointed ends, layered beneath a black hooded dress, heightening the eerie atmosphere. Throughout the collection, cage-like yet form-fitting silhouettes create a striking contrast—both restrictive and defiant. This tension between constraint and resistance becomes a powerful visual metaphor, embracing the idea of being caged while simultaneously symbolising defiance and rebellion.
“With a queer and female team, I’m thinking about how we protect ourselves in ways that make us feel elevated and beautiful.”
These dramatic silhouettes are not new to Reed’s aesthetic—in fact, they have become a signature of their work. Exaggerated bell-shaped forms, structured corsets extending past the shoulders to frame the face, and fishtail silhouettes with sweeping trains all reappear season after season, each time reimagined through deliberate fabric and colour choices. What remains constant, however, is Reed’s fundamental intent: to take up space. In a political climate where queer people are being forced to give up what little they have, Reed’s designs serve as a statement of defiance—ensuring that both the garments and their wearers command presence.
In keeping with Reed’s commitment to commanding space, the collection’s limited colour palette feels both intentional and impactful. The stark monochrome enhances the theatricality, allowing the bold structures to take centre stage without distraction. Yet, the introduction of gold—through painted spikes and intricate embellishments—adds an almost armour-like quality, reinforcing the collection’s themes of resistance and rebellion. Then comes the cobalt blue—a striking yet seamless disruption. Its deep, rich hue punctuates the monochrome with a sense of purpose, feeling so perfectly placed that it leaves me wishing it appeared even more.
Ultimately, this collection marks another step in Reed’s evolution, refining their signature fluidity and exaggerated silhouettes while introducing sharper, armour-like designs and cage-like yet form-fitting structures. This season, Reed fully embraces the discomfort of defiance, shaping it into something both confrontational and commanding. I keep returning to the colour palette—perhaps overanalysing—but despite feeling that the cobalt blue was a missed opportunity, I found myself more absorbed in the garments themselves, almost disregarding colour entirely. Monochrome is a traditional choice, yet here, it’s masterfully applied to heighten the collection’s narrative and theatricality.
As a final note, Harris Reed was among my best-dressed at the 2024 Met Gala—on theme, risk-taking, and everything you’d want to see. With the 2025 theme set as Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, if this collection is any indication, I can’t wait to see what Reed brings to the next Met—and everything before and after.
All images Suleika Mueller for Vogue.
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