Drawing inspiration from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Erdem’s new capsule collection is bursting with romantic aesthetics and refined, yet relaxed silhouettes that set the tone for an easy but dreamy summer. A 13-piece collection — launched exclusively on Matches Fashion — the line showcases sweeping skirts, fluted sleeves and fil coupé finishing in a contrasting palette of incandescent white mixed with watercolour-esque hues that reflect a British garden in the summertime; think sky blue, forest green, rose pink and a subtle splash of lemon.
"For me, now more than ever, I really wanted this collection to offer a sense of escapism to our clients," says designer Erdem Moralioglou, who captured the whimsical campaign images himself, photographing model Maggie Maurer in a London garden earlier this month. "I think fashion and especially the act of buying something new can be really hopeful, which is something I think you can feel in the bright bold colours of this collection."
When asked about the capsule’s inspiration, the designer revealed: “I found these beautiful images of Peter Brook’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (first shown in the 1970s). It was a revolutionary production of the play as it was all about the actors appearing in a giant white box which allowed the palette of their costumes to appear almost as bright paint strokes on a white canvas. The play looked so modern but also so joyous.”
Erdem’s paint strokes are the many floral motifs which inject pretty pops of colour into the collection. Some are delicately embroidered onto white organza and mirror flowers that have pressed and dried in a notebook, while others can be spotted in ladylike lace trims and on one particular silk crepe dress (in striking emerald green) the florals take the form of black ferns embellished with beaded pearls — dreamy, indeed.
“Erdem is talented at creating pieces that combine a timeless glamour with a sense of modernity,” says Natalie Kingham, fashion buying director of Matches Fashion. “The collection will appeal to an erudite customer searching for elegant pieces that can be worn in a contemporary way, a beautiful skirt teamed with a white shirt, or a dress with flat sandals.’’
Made to take the Erdem woman from a garden party, to an intimate sunset soiree, the Erdem capsule's array of feminine skirts and dresses can be effortlessly paired with ballet slippers or colour-block heels — depending on the mood — and can be worn on repeat, this summer and for many seasons to come.
