Harrison Osterfield: “Fashion says something about me, and it gives an idea about my personality that I couldn’t do myself.”

Harrison Osterfield is just happy to be here. Ahead of the 2022 London Fashion Awards, he calls in from his hotel room with the sort of prudent excitement you’d expect on the eve of a party weekend in Ibiza. “I’m really looking forward to it. It’s my first Fashion Awards, and I’ve had a lot of friends who’ve gone before,” he says. “I’ve always been working in the past, or just not invited. So it’s nice to actually get that invite and go along.”

In the 33 years since its inaugural ceremony, the Fashion Awards has become the biggest night for the industry. New York’s Met Gala may get a bankable stream of big names in even bigger fits. But it’s at London’s Fashion Awards where industry excellence is formally recognised with the sort of trophies that feel very important by token of their sheer weight. It’s become an event that speaks beyond the often-cloistered fashion industry to the wider consciousness.

“There’s a spectacle to it all. Growing up with acting, and a bit of modelling, I’ve always been excited to see all these amazing brands, and see a character presented through that,” says Osterfield. “It’s such a cool opportunity for people to just really flex their muscles.”

Which, coincidentally, is what the 26-year-old is going to do with his outfit: a tailored grape two-piece by Altar that replaces the traditional jacket with something a bit more factory boy. Osterfield likes the London-based label a lot. “I went to have a fitting and tried on like, half the store and I loved everything, and I wanted some colour,” he says. “It took ages to find something I really liked. I wanted ‘English country gentleman’ with a bit of flair, so it’s definitely not black tie but we’ll see.” He decided to pair the suit with Matilde jewellery: a marque that’s just as punchy, but quietly so.