IT’S ALWAYS a sort of storybook experience watching an Erdem show. Ethereal florals, yards of silk and taffeta and romantic gowns grace the runway season after season, but now perhaps they are more endearing than ever with an injection of personal experience from the designer himself as he extended a visual invitation into his home, with each garment documenting the lives of those who resided in his Bloomsbury townhouse in centuries prior.
Influenced by the previous dwellers of his central London home, the designer explored the ghosts of London’s past, deriving inspiration from the many layers of decor and concealment found within his own residence. From filled-in doorways to covered up wallpaper, each room had it’s own story, and history, to be unravelled.Â
We are welcomed onto this journey of discovery in a dark and alluring setting; a moody backdrop which creates a haunting atmosphere for the viewer.Â
Though there is always an element of historicism within Erdem’s designs – usually ones which hark back to Victorian era London – with his inspirations for this collection perhaps the silhouettes have never been more blatant. However that being said, they are not dusty or too unattainable where you will walk onto the street looking like an extra from Oliver Twist, but maintain a modern, feminine sensibility which this season has taken a much darker turn.Â
Voluminous opera length gloves, sensual tailoring and an abundance of peplums all hint to the past while maintaining a sturdy foot in London 2023. Tiered trains give the illusion of a bustle, while sickly colours inspired by wallpaper – such as “arsenic green” – adorn gowns and brocade overcoats, reintroducing staple codes frequented by the designer and acting as the perfect statement piece for the Autumn/Winter seasons.
by Ben Sanderson