30 October 2024 |
Most designers find their feet in fantasy but Ricky Wesley Harriott, the creative director and designer of London-based brand SRVC, feels more inspired by the mundane hum of the day-to-day commute. “I’m drawn to the rhythm of daily life – commuting, the stories in a crowd, the realness of the world around me,” says Harriott, who has driven the label’s creative output since it started in 2021. “Observing others sparks ideas for the SRVC woman. While many people are immersed in screens, I try to ground myself in what’s happening around me.” This shrewd observation of the everyday was emphasised by the brand’s AW24 show, which saw models walk through the aisle of a stationary 217 bus that usually terminates at Turnpike Lane. Talk about bus on diversion, eh? The inventive catwalk settings plainly indicated the type of gear that SRVC create – that which can turn your regular, run-of-the-mill commuter into a bona fide runway model.
For the past three years, Harriott has been using SRVC to craft future-facing garments, often strappy in construction and laced with sex appeal – shaped after traditional servicewear. A progressive approach is integral. “We need to look forward,” Harriott says. “Fixating on the past stops us from addressing future needs. I loved the ’90s, but a woman navigating today’s world deserves clothing that reflects progress, not nostalgia.”
Pronounced ‘Service’, the brand is built with no-nonsense attitude, sprinkled with sass. When asked who the archetypal SRVC customer is, Harriott says, “Any woman who sees herself through the lens of SRVC – strong, self-assured and unapologetically herself.” It’s headphones in, music blaring, strut activated type of gear. Don a lacey, bodycon dress with a thigh-high split from SRVC and you’ll be ready to treat the Viccy line platform like your own personal catwalk.
“The women in my life, especially on both sides of my heritage, taught me about resilience and defiance,” he continues, explaining how his early life has informed his design language. “My Jamaican grandmother was a force – bold, stylish and fiercely loving. My mother, who had me at 17 while facing homelessness, was equally determined and fearless, traits she likely learned from my grandmother, who took her in. These influences blur cultural lines for me, but they left a strong imprint. Growing up with both [English and Jamaican] identities is a privilege, and my heritage shapes my work’s tone.”
Having grown-up witnessing intense mistreatment of women close to him, Harriott “escaped into fantasy worlds where female characters were depicted as strong and powerful. I would redraw these characters, enhancing their costumes to make them even more resilient,” says Harriott. Designing womenswear, he says, “feels deeply personal. It’s a way for me to honour those early experiences and maybe give back. Being able to contribute to how a woman feels, even just by what she wears, is a privilege. If I can help shift how she sees herself or how the world treats her, that excites me. In a way, it’s my thank you to the women who’ve shaped me.”
This celebratory mantra feeds into all aspects of Harriott’s work at SRVC, serving as the seed from which of his creative expression grows. “For me, a muse is anything or anyone I deeply connect with and want to celebrate or protect through my work,” says Harriott. “I find inspiration in individuals and in the feeling they evoke in me, which I try to mirror back. Growing up, I admired powerful female characters from video games and comics, while now, my inspiration often comes from friends and female musicians.”
For SS25, Harriott opted for a lookbook instead of a show, shot on model of the moment, Colin Jones. Known for her angular strut and soul-piercing smize, Jones wears a slew of strong, sensual silhouettes. Soft fabrics like crepe, lace and jersey were used to envision strappy crop tops and mini skirts, while suits were given velvet or satin details to give power dressing a facelift.
This is not Harriott’s first rodeo when it comes to uplifting women in his orbit. Launching his first brand, Wesley Harriott, in 2016, the mission statement was empowering wearers through design, as it is with SRVC. After shuttering in 2020, he took this ethos and used it to start building SRVC alongside founder Masha Adonyeva. “I met Masha while doing a sales showroom for Wesley Harriott in Paris,” says Harriott. “After returning to the UK from working at Vetements for a year, we reconnected when she reached out about starting something new. I proposed the concept of SRVC, and it felt like something genuinely exciting and timely. SRVC emerged from conversations around empowering women in a way that’s both intellectual and functional, creating a wardrobe that can act as societal armour. We aim to support women navigating a world where they often have to assert themselves to be seen, heard, and respected. At its core, SRCV is about fostering a community where women can feel like their most empowered and limitless selves, undeterred by anything or anyone.”
For Harriott, the future is all about fine tuning. “While I’d love to do another show someday, my priority is enhancing the client experience and refining our products. Our next collection is underway, and I’m excited to share these new pieces.” And the women that SRVC has built itself around? Harriott wants them to be as involved as he is. “This year, we’ve focused on connecting with our community, listening to their feedback, and growing together,” he says. Watch out – a strong-willed, impeccably-dressed SRVC woman might just walk past you on a tube platform one of these days.
Photography by Tom Blesch.
