An evening with Erdem; Style Conversation
It was Friday night, at the Savoy. A glass of red for him, a glass of white for me. An intimate conversation with fashion designer Erdem Moralioglu; well we’re on first name terms – it’s just Erdem. Well it’s not just us actually; but The Lancaster Room of the Savoy Hotel, London, with about a hundred fellow fashion lovers, bloggers, editors, and stylists. The Sunday Times Style in collaboration with Net-A-Porter.com hosted a fabulous evening of interesting chat and an insight into what makes Erdem tick.
Style’s Colin McDowell made a grand job, as he would, of posing the right questions to a very modest, talented young London designer who has already made history in his career; dressing two prime minister’s wives, a First Lady and the future Queen. The evening put Erdem centre stage, something I’m not sure he is too comfortable with. Softly spoken, modest and seemingly uncomplicated, he glided through the questions posed by Colin and later the audience and often interjected if a statement from Colin was not portraying the right context. This is a man who is a design genius, a self confessed book worm, a lover of photography and has come far since winning the Fashion Fringe award in 2005 and then the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund as well as a few other awards in between.
Inspiration
I simply loved how Erdem described each collection as a “Chapter in a book”. He doesn’t have a muse as such but a “woman of the season”, who resides in his sketch book and is part of a narrative. Each new chapter is both “freeing and terrifying” at the same time. His aim is to start over each season, there is a signature style for his work. Many people see this as his floral prints. But for Erdem himself it’s about handwriting, a narrative that he focuses on, people recognise he is telling a story, but pushing forwards something new. He spoke about how he tries to “react against the self, to explore places we haven’t been”. Each collection is almost the juxtaposition of the previous. He takes apart what he’s previously done and tries to do the opposite to his previous story to give depth and perspective.
- Colin McDowell & Erdem
Interesting questions were raised from the audience
Would you consider a High Street collaboration?
- “never say never, but it’s not something I’m interested in. It doesn’t feel relevant at this time but it is a great thing for others”
What motivates you?
-” to provide something that makes you feel very beautiful”
How do you feel about chains copying your designs?
-” it’s quite funny and a shame. No one talks about it, it’s a strange, interesting thing”
If you designed a perfume what would it smell off?
- ” a hotel suite in Monte Carlo”
There’s a back story to that, of course but what is interesting is that Erdem has, around is studio potential names of perfumes. It’s his thing, he likes thinking them up… So maybe there is a future product line there?
Erdem Print
Another interesting fact. Erdem loves the Ballet. He is often a visitor at Sadlers Wells. Perhaps then there is an opportunity of dressing a ballet production, asks Colin. “What an amazing, interesting idea”, ponders Erdem. I think this would be simply spectacular. As a designer who knows so much, feels so much about the textiles of fashion. He knows how fabric moves, he would work magnificently with the flow and the energy of the ballet. Maybe in the future there is a project here for Erdem. You could see his eyes light up at the thought.
It truly was a spectacular evening. A beautiful insight into a designer and his thoughts. Thanks to The Sunday Times, Style, Net-A-Porter.com and The Savoy, London.
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