Sam Smith's iconic latex Brit Awards outfit was inspired by the designer's dog
Watch: Designer of Sam Smith's iconic Brit Awards latex jumpsuit says he was inspired by his dog
The creative brain behind Sam Smith’s iconic Brit Awards red carpet look has revealed the inspiration behind his latex balloon styles, and it comes from an unexpected place.
Fashion designer Harri came up with the inflatable one-piece that Smith wore on the red carpet at Saturday's Brit Award ceremony which got everyone walking over the weekend.
The Unholy singer made an eye-catching appearance at London’s O2 Arena in the all-in-one latex catsuit which featured voluminous blow-up detailing at the sleeves and legs.
Indian-born, London-based designer Hari Krishnan, of fashion brand Harri, has become known for his custom creations that feature these large disproportionate, blown-up sections on the legs and shoulders that give the impression of balloons.
But it all started in a rather unusual place.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Monday morning, Harri revealed that he first started designing the inflatable trousers in 2020 after he was inspired by his dog.
Read more: Sam Smith’s latex body suit was *the* most iconic look of the Brit Awards red carpet
“I started thinking about it from my dog’s point of view,” he revealed to hosts Ranvir Singh and Robert Rinder, who said the design looked like an “installation at the Tate Modern.”
“I have a small dog, his name is Khai,” he explained, “I started thinking how he would see me from this angle, this distorted image.”
Smith reached out to Krishnan after seeing his work, but the designer revealed he only had “four days” to get the latex outfit red carpet-ready for the Brit Awards.
“A lot of emotions and a lot of work went into it,” said Krishnan. “I’ve worked with proportions before, but never that big that Sam was wearing on Saturday.”
The larger-than-life latex designs get their balloon-esque looks from a seven millimetre-wide inflation valve that pumps air throughout the outfit, and they actually aren’t as difficult to get in and out of as many might think, says Krishnan.
“It’s cut to precision, made to the body…” he told the GMB hosts. “I work with clients personally, so it is made for them to get in and out of, like you wear your trousers. It’s like a tailored suit or trouser.”
A movement artist even demonstrated how easy it was to move in the design on the breakfast chat show, completing dance moves across the stage in a similar outfit to the Gloria hitmaker.
Krishnan also revealed that Smith walked to the red carpet with the outfit fully inflated, adding: “I think they did a fantastic job walking in it.”
Smith’s all-black custom-made outfit made a bold statement at the 2023 Brit Awards, which was held at London’s O2 Arena, and quickly went viral on social media, but the artist later had a costume change for their performance of the award-winning single Unholy with collaborator Kim Petras.
