The nature of Erdem

Written by Vanessa Zaree
25.02.2010

Considering ‘Out with the old, in with the new’ is the motto of many a fashionista, it’s not surprising that designers can feel the pressure to reinvent themselves season after season. Erdem Moragliou hasn’t been on the fashion radar for long, and even if his eponymous label is inevitably linked to flower prints, there is always an unexpected twist up this designer’s sleeve.

Erdem’s autumn/winter ‘10 collection, full of his signature bell shaped dresses, was more subdued than his previous collection. The earthy tones like ochre and steel contributed to an overall sombre mood. Although florals and nature have been a constant in Moragliou’s work, the reference was full on this season – Erdem mentioned he’d watched seventies mystery film “Picnic at Hanging Rock” as well as his sister’s documentary films on natural history.

The show started off with a model in a chocolate brown cape with small prints of delicate butterfly wings. That, along with a black cushioned coat and two military coats, was the only form of outerwear in the show. The rest of the looks displayed were his usual cocktail dresses and separates. The prints were spectacular – but not in a look-at-me way. The subtlety of the colours used and the abstract feel of the prints were the perfect ingredients for the pretty but edgy pieces. There were also ruffled skirts and tops, lace numbers and beautifully textured pieces – but it was the dresses with Swallows in flight that could easily be considered small works of art.

To classify Erdem designs as girlie would be unfair. There is an edge to these pieces that make them stray away from the conventional. And although it could seem that his work is repetitive, we feel the designer has found the perfect balance between pushing boundaries and creating a strong identity.