Who is Harri, the Kerala-born designer behind Sam Smith's Brit Awards 2023 look?

The Indian fashion designer works between London and New Delhi

Sam Smith attending the Brit Awards 2023 at The O2 Arena, London, wearing a look by Indian designer Harri. PA

A model backstage ahead of Harri's show during London Fashion Week September 2022 at the Newgen Presentation Space in London. Getty Images

Harri made his London Fashion Week debut in September. Getty Images

Harri went viral for his balloon pants in 2020. Getty Images

A model walks the runway at the Harri show during London Fashion Week. Getty Images

He went viral after presenting his London College of Fashion graduate collection that featured inflatable latex trousers. Getty Images

It got him shortlisted for the British Fashion Council's Newgen initiative, which has previously supported the likes of Priya Ahluwalia. Getty Images

Designer Harri, real name Harikrishnan Keezhathil Surendran Pillai, attends London Fashion Week. Getty Images

Harri, real name Harikrishnan Keezhathil Surendran Pillai, has a lot to celebrate, as his name made international headlines after Sam Smith dazzled on the Brit Awards 2023 red carpet in one of his looks.

The British singer wore an all-black, custom-made latex outfit with dramatic, ballooning shoulders and trousers, plus a pair of matching high-heel boots.

"What would you name this look? #michelinman," Harri wrote on his Instagram account.

Scroll through the gallery below to see more looks from the Brit Awards 2023

Harry Styles arrives for the 2023 Brit Awards ceremony at The O2 Arena in London, on February 11, 2023. EPA

Shania Twain arrives. EPA

Vick Hope. EPA

Ellie Goulding. AP

Ella Henderson. AP

Jack Saunders. EPA

Salma Hayek. AP

Jodie Turner-Smith. AP

Leigh-Anne Pinnock. AP

British group Flo. AFP

Nova Twins. AP

British actor Ben Aldridge. AFP

Contemporary artist Olaolu Slawn. AFP

English former football player Alex Scott. AFP

Singer Mollie King. AFP

AJ Odudu. EPA

British singer Mahalia. AFP

British singer Becky Hill. AFP

British singer Kamille. AFP

British actress Naomi Ackie. AFP

Sam Smith. AFP

Smith made waves with their outfit. AFP

British singer Jessie J. AFP

British actor Lucien Laviscount, left, and French actress Camille Razat. AFP

British comedian Mo Gilligan. AFP

Stormzy. EPA

Laura Whitmore. EPA

Maya Jama. EPA

Clara Amfo. AP

Billie Piper. PA Media

British indie rock band Wet Leg. AFP

Mimi Webb. EPA

Who is Harri?

Smith's outfit was lauded among fashion circles, but this isn't the first time Harri has been the subject of conversation in the industry.

In fact, he first went viral back in 2020, just before the pandemic hit, after he presented his London College of Fashion graduate collection that featured inflatable latex trousers that were dubbed by media as "balloon pants".

It got him shortlisted for the British Fashion Council's Newgen initiative, which has previously supported the likes of Priya Ahluwalia.

He launched his eponymous label as soon as he graduated with a master of arts in menswear in June that year, and began working between London and New Delhi.

In September, Harri made his London Fashion Week debut, on the opening day of the spring/summer 2023 shows.

Now, he plays with larger-than-life proportions, shifting between materials and sculpture. "Building on personal yet universal themes taken from classical and surrealistic contexts, he focuses on the duality between the notion of clothing as an art and a mimetic practice," according to the London Fashion Week website.

Born in small-town Kerala

He was born in a small village in southern Kerala, where he had no exposure to fashion.

“However, my dad used to do artwork for local commercials, which inspired me to sketch and visualise things from a very young age," he told Vogue India ahead of his London Fashion Week show.

In 2012, he enrolled at the fashion school NIFT Bangalore, before assisting Indian designer Suket Dhir in New Delhi and then getting into the London College of Fashion.

The balloon pants really put him on the map, but while the reception has been serious, it was humour that initially sparked the idea.

"The initial idea about the trouser came from this humorous thought of visualising me from my dog's perception," he told Vogue. "Thinking from his point of view. 'How will he be seeing me?' 'Am I like a giant figure with big legs and a small head?' That gave me some possibilities about shapes, most of which were anatomically impossible and motivated me to look for a material that could satisfy those proportions."

He chose to work with latex primarily because it's a less-polluting, plant-based alternative to leather, he added, and is much more flexible and stretchy than cow's hide or PVC.

It was a unique look, one that had people such as MC Hammer reaching out to the then little-known designer, but the timing couldn't have been more perfect, he told the publication.

“When I launched my collection, it was the beginning of the pandemic, and the world was sad. Yet that collection put a smile on a lot of faces. So for me, that's just the idea. Nobody cared about the material or the technicalities; all they saw was this image, and that's my style — an image-making approach to fashion."

Indian designer Gaurav Gupta makes Paris haute couture debut — in pictures

Indian designer Gaurav Gupta, who's dressed India's elite, as well as Bollywood and Hollywood stars for the past 20 years, has made his Paris haute couture debut. All photos: Getty Images

Gupta shared the stage with some of the world's most well-known couturiers as part of the coveted calendar

A model walks the runway during Gupta's haute couture spring/summer 2023 show

Gupta showcased 35 looks in total, introducing his signature sculpted fabrics

Many looks featured wing-like creations that twisted around his models

Embroidered crystals gave the looks in the collection an effervescent quality

Clothes also ranged in colour, from gold to silver and electric blue

The collection took six months to put together, from developing concepts and sketches to sourcing, dyeing and embroidering fabrics

Gupta named his collection Shunya, the Sanskrit word for zero, which was invented in India

'When zero was discovered ... the world expanded into infinity. Time was no longer linear,' he told CNN

A look from Gupta's haute couture collection

A look from Gupta's haute couture collection

Gupta is a graduate of the famed Central Saint Martins

Dramatic shapes were seen on the catwalk

Many Hollywood stars have worn Gupta's dresses on the red carpet

A gold creation by Gupta

Gupta's signature sculpture was present in almost all the looks

The Indian designer acknowledges the applause of the audience at the end of his show