It’s hard not to look at pictures of Erdem’s London Fashion Week show today without thinking what could be walking off that catwalk and straight into the label’s upcoming collaboration with H&M. From the cropped cardigans to the cat-eye sunglasses and couture-level embroidered gowns, it’s one of the designers Erdem Moralioğlu’s most intricate and covetable collections to date.
Collaborating with a brand as far-reaching and populist as H&M has its benefits, namely putting Erdem’s name on an international and commercial stage. But, it also has the downside of making the fashion world’s gaze study the brand’s every move until then in extreme detail. With the H&M collab’s launch date just mere weeks away (add 2nd November to your diary STAT), the label’s spring summer 2018 catwalk show today was treated like a test. And, guess what? It passed with flying colours!
Fans of Alexa Chung, Kate Bosworth and Keira Knightley’s wardrobes will know that the London-based designer favours feminine frothy party dresses. The label veers towards grown-up, demure silhouettes that fall below the knee with lean, long sleeves. In keeping with the brand’s DNA, Erdem approached spring with an elegant touch. Inspired by Leeds - yes, really - and a specific moment in 1958 when the Queen met the musician Duke Ellington, the spring collection was a walking tour of a what-could-have-been royal wardrobe. The look was romantic and compelling, jumping between Prince of Wales check tailoring and bead encrusted gowns worthy of a Cecil Beaton photograph.
As for what we learnt about his forthcoming H&M collab? Not much, except to get to the store early as this will surely be a blockbuster moment for fashion folk!
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.