Intimacy, tailoring and a haunting romanticism for new season of Harris Tapper
There has always been a quiet softness to Harris Tapper. Tailoring that doesn’t so much command attention as it gently holds it and this season that sensibility deepens into something more romantic, more shadowed.
Supple suiting replaces strict structure; silhouettes fall at ease, as though mid-exhale. Co-founder Lauren Tapper cites Sofia Coppola’s film adaptation of The Virgin Suicides as the collection’s emotional starting point, drawn to its youthful femininity and faint morbidity that haunting romanticism that feels delicate yet faintly unsettling. It is a tension that runs throughout: precision softened, power rendered in whisper rather than proclamation.
While the brand’s identity remains steadfast in its intention to serve its wearer rather than dictate to her, this offering leans further into femininity, with a subtle darkness tracing the seams. Traditional bonded suiting gives way to velvet; crushed satins are worn in daylight; silk taffeta appears in the palest blush pink, dissolving the line between structure and sentiment. The mood carries seamlessly into the accompanying imagery, created with long-time collaborator Holly Burgess and photographed in Sydney by Vladimir Mendigorin at the height of summer. In a poetic nod to its cinematic muse, the team shot the campaign using the same lens Coppola used for The Virgin Suicides, capturing an authentic intimacy that feels almost voyeuristic, as if stepping out of the office and into heat and movement. Sleeves shorten, fabrics loosen, and workwear adapts to longer, warmer days, the collection unfolding like a slow-burning daydream: romantic, restrained, and just a little undone.
What was the starting point for this new collection?
The youthful femininity and morbidity of Sofia Coppola’s film adaptation of The Virgin Suicides. There’s a haunting romanticism in the film and story we wanted to explore. Delicate yet unsettling.
How does this collection reflect the direction Harris Tapper Designers is taking this year?
Our identity and tone remain consistent, but I guess this collection leans further into femininity. We are always intending to serve our wearer, rather than dictate to her. There is something slightly darker in the work this season, a subtle morbid nature.
Were there any design rules you intentionally challenged or redefined this time?
Traditionally, our tailoring has structure and precision; this time it feels more supple, relaxed and gently feminine.
We introduced velvet in place of bonded suiting, crushed satins worn for day and silk taffeta in the palest shade of pink.
Tell us a little about your approach to shooting your collections.
For this collection, we used the same lens Sofia Coppola used in The Virgin Suicides, which mirrors the authentic intimacy from the film. Holly Burgess is our collaborative partner on imagery and we have a long standing relationship with her. We understand each other and she perfectly conveys the tone of our work.
Photography : Vladimir Mendigorin
Lighting : Sean Slattery
Hair & Makeup : Tracy Terashima
Model : Alyssa Peoples
