• February 14, 2023

Meet Keralite fashion graduate Harikrishnan: His outfit for singer Sam Smith at Brit Awards gone viral (Video)

By A Staff Reporter

LONDON Feb 14: Noted British singer was cynosure of all eyes at the Brit Awards 2023, held on 11 February 2023 to recognise the best in British and international music. It was in particular Sam Smith’s designer outfit which caught the attention of the media.

Sam Smith’s outfit was designed by London-based fashion label Harri, founded by London College of Fashion MA Fashion graduate Harikrishnan Keezhathil Surendran Pillai. Harri founded his label ‘Harri’ upon graduating from the Menswear MA at the London College of Fashion in June 2020.

Many in the fashion industry have raised eyebrows with Harri’s unique inflatable coutoure made of latex. However, the news is that Harri is moving on successfully to the London Fashion Week to be held this weekend.

Click to Listen to Harri on Goodmorning Britain

Harri’s inflatable outfit was first revealed during an MA show at London College of Fashion in 2019. By the following year, similar designs for his MA graduate collection were attracting attention. He was asked to join the British Fashion Council’s Newgen scheme, “to help young designers showcase until we can do it on our own”. In 2023, he is now finding the recognition he deserves for his patience and hardwork.

Harri is not worried about any cricitsm as his take on it is, “I’m passionate about making something that makes people think and talk and discuss.”

Harri, currently lives in London, made possible under the Exceptional Talent scheme endorsed by the British Fashion Council and Arts Council England. Besides his independent practice, he is a visiting lecturer at various fashion academies across India and the Middle East.

All the balloon-style designs are made from latex and Harri reveals something I’m not expecting – he has a second job as a latex farmer.

Speaking to BBC he said: “I have a small plantation back in my home town in Kerala. Me and my dad do the latex farming. The raw material, we export it here and it becomes latex. It’s used for so many things.”

About Harri

Harri is a multidisciplinary artist and a designer who dreams with hands. His work takes place at the interface between fashion, design, performance and craft.

Following his Bachelors from the National Institute of Fashion Technology India in 2016, he worked with International Woolmark Prize Winner Suket Dhir as a textile designer. Two years later, driven by a desire to expand and deepen his creative practice, he joined the menswear department at the London College of Fashion.

Upon graduating, he launched his collection, which showcased during the London Fashion Week in Feb 2020. The critically acclaimed collection garnered exceptional industry reviews and recognition from publications and platforms including British Vogue, BOF, I-D, Dezeen and Dazed.

In September 2020, he won the PIG (Practical-Intelligent-Genius) Award, offered annually by designer and artist Henrik Vibskov for ‘outstanding creative talent’.

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