Rewriting History: Why Erdem’s Victorian-Inspired Pieces Are Made For Now
The new collection from fashion’s foremost romantic has arrived – and his reinterpretation of Victoriana delivers modern, wearable designs
So evocative are the stories behind Erdem Moralioglu’s collections that, if he weren’t a designer, he would have made a brilliant historian. And, in a way, he is, because from 1930s Berlin to 18th-century Naples, revolutionaries to royals, his clothes have the ability to transport their wearers to other worlds. Yet, the real triumph is that each Erdem collection also belongs in the here and now. These are clothes made for modern women who can keep pace with their layered, contemporary lives and agendas. Bringing an ‘opposites attract’ sensibility to life, Erdem pieces are at once sweet and strong, masculine and feminine, fantastical and real. Above all, though, they’re desirable and wearable. No wonder the list of repeat-wear fans is a varied one – think Michelle Obama, Alexa Chung, Sienna Miller and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
It is the tension in the designs that makes them feel both modern and timeless. Although Erdem is often considered to be one of fashion’s foremost romantics (his fondness for florals has been well documented, and nobody makes them look fresher), there is always an undercurrent of subversion beneath that romance. It is beauty with bite.
That tension is rigorously explored in the Pre-Fall ’23 collection. Its starting point? The second half of the 19th century – a time of flux, change and reconfiguration that witnessed the encroaching arrival of industrialization. The result is a collection that acknowledges the propriety of Victorian aesthetics, but also reflects the era’s strict values being gently unlaced.
“The pieces are a deft reinterpretation of Victoriana that are retold from Erdem’s unique and poetic perspective
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Indeed, the pieces are a deft reinterpretation of Victoriana that are retold from Erdem’s unique and poetic perspective. So, a supremely easy-to-wear cotton poplin mini dress in pleasingly heavy, crisp cotton poplin is given swishes of drama via voluminous sleeves and a high neck. A midi version in white radiates a similar versatility, with a stand collar and pin-tucked bib detail – wear fastened to the top or unbuttoned, as preferred. Both designs boast day-to-dinner ease, but if it’s show-stopping eveningwear options you’re after, Erdem excels.
Enter this season’s fluid silk gown, which comes in a deliberately off-kilter shade of green that offsets the design’s elegant drama (cue fluttering caped detailing at the back and a sweet, pink ribbon belt) with a hint of disruptive rebellion. Elsewhere, a lavishly embroidered midnight blue and black organza dress, which shows off the designer’s confident craftsmanship skills, exudes a strident sensuality and a bold, voluminous silhouette; to lean into the romance, gloves and bows make the perfect pairing. But perhaps the most Erdem way to wear it is with chunky, tough-luxe flats. After all, this collection has been designed to live in, not just look at – and what could be more modern than that?