Fishtails, corsets and couture kick-start London Fashion Week

HARRIS REED opened London Fashion Week with his signature off-schedule, extraordinarily dramatic show in what has quickly become a tradition over the past few seasons.

- Joe Bromley

But while A-listers including Florence Pugh, Sam Smith and Adam Lambert have been headline acts of the American-born, Central Saint Martins-trained designer's recent offerings, this September the atmosphere felt more subdued and serious.

Cosima, the Peckham-born singer, was Reed's SS24 choice of performer. A front row consisting of Maisie Williams, Munroe Bergdorf and Bridgerton's Charithra Chandran watched as she slinked down Tate Modern's Turbine Hall wearing a couture-esque, velvet and ivory satin strapless gown. It set the tone for a pared back, 10-look collection in terms of fabrication strictly deadstock black velvet, white satin and gold - but which remained rich in outlandish silhouette.