London Fashion Week has been packed with newcomers looking to make their mark on the schedule, seeing thrilling debuts by HARRI, Skepta‘s MAINS, AARON ESH, and more. Ricky Wesley Harriott’s SRVC is up next, throwing her first runway show that stepped into digital worlds.
The Tottenham-born womenswear designer launched SRVC in 2021, envisioning refined garments with futuristic appeal. Harriott’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection was just that, taking inspiration from current hyper-digitalised landscapes. Titled “Wish I Were Here,” SRVC reflects the collision between fashion and modern technology, picturing the false aesthetic of on-screen getaways.
Harriott gets up close and personal with unrealistic expectations, misshaping statement-making womenswear to appear enhanced and perfected. Cropped SRVC-branded hoodies accent the waist in minuscule proportions, while embellished knitwear is flipped upside down, and traditional blazers are tugged and disfigured. Pixilated water droplets mimic the look of clothed swimming, followed by upcycled denim that takes on the look and feel of blue jeans.
The brand’s customizable identity continues to stand strong, seeing wrap-around cargo pants boast adjustable waistbands, leather motorcycle jackets with removable sleeves, and more.
Speaking exclusively to Hypebeast on the collection, SRVC’s Ricky Wesley Harriott says:
What made you decide to finally join the London Fashion Week schedule?
“We wanted to forge relationships with wholesalers and clients before we expanded on the SRVC universe. From the beginning, we aspired to show, but I think before then, finding our footing as a brand was the priority.”
How does SRVC bring a different approach to traditional womenswear?
“The brand’s name is an acronym for the word “Service,” and it really embodies the approach from which we navigate womenswear.
Our clothing stems from traditional wardrobe archetypes, but we always question: how can this be modified? how can it be more? how can it serve the female form? I think through these investigations, we deconstruct and reconstruct tradition with fresh approaches that don’t alienate the end consumer. I love to strike a balance between nostalgia and futurism.”
Walk me through SRVC’s SS24 collection. How did you elevate your trademark style in new ways?
“I love the challenge of expanding on our aesthetic. A lot of our clothing has self-styling elements and tons of utility-focused details you don’t always see right away. I really wanted to see how I could build on our garments’ potential. I always aim to strike a balance of having details and utility that doesn’t compromise the quality and luxury sensibility of the design, so pushing this is always a welcomed challenge.
I think designing with showmanship in mind always requires elevation, so I have spent a lot of time designing with the show experience in mind, you can’t hide behind a show, so my head has been very much in the details, more so than ever.”
What can we expect from SRVC this season?
“You can expect to have a way clearer insight into the brand and how it feels physically. I think the collections prior have only been shown through images, but the show will really be a note on what we stand for, how our designs move, and how they make women feel. I think people will feel differently about the brand this season because the show will give greater access to the broader vision.
This collection is also the first I have done for the brand that extends beyond my core values surrounding women. There is a social commentary and a bigger story being told, and I want SRVC to be a space where storytelling runs in our core.”
What is SRVC looking forward to for the rest of 2023, and how are you looking to expand the brand?
“This year, we have launched with some really exciting retailers, including Selfridges and two stores in South Korea, so seeing the brand continue to expand globally is really exciting for us. We have some new products dropping this year that we are really excited about showing, but I feel that 2023 is all about universal expansion and really giving people the clearest insight into who we are and what it is that we do.”
Take a closer look at SRVC’s SS24 collection in the gallery above.
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