NOBODY encapsulates romantic femininity quite like Erdem, and the brand’s pre-Spring 2019 collection remained true to form in its whimsical beauty. Playing with notions of nostalgia and memory, the designer combined dreamy visions of a bygone era with a contemporary edge.
A sense of soft-focus permeates the whole collection, displayed in hazily captured images evocative of Victorian portraiture. This sense of an unsteady gaze into the past continued into the fabrics, which brought together spilling waves of embroidered organza and loose chiffon, downy feathered headpieces and wispy floral silks inspired by botanical prints and impressionist paintings. A prim elegance influences the selection of ribbons, pearls and satin gloves which comprised the accessories.
Elsewhere, elements of modernity were introduced through structured tailoring, velvet trainers and Erdem’s signature vibrant prints. Mid length coats in animal prints and silk brocade were paired with knee socks and pointed kitten heels, playfully styled to suggest a child raiding their grandmother’s wardrobe.
With its blend of demure glamour and youthful eccentricity, the collection balanced an elegant nostalgia with notes of modernity, bringing the past into conversation with the present.
by Rachel Parker