Since 2005, Erdem has established itself as a fashion brand centered around femininity and strength. The world of Erdem, created by designer Erdem Moralioglu MBE, is meant to inspire confidence and passion, all while telling a story. Each collection focuses around a heroine in a specific place and time, or on certain items that represent their success and life. How Erdem plays in the heroine’s world is not how she looks in a particular piece, but how she feels. Spring/Summer 22 is no different than that. 

Every year, Erdem proves they do not shy away from acknowledging influential women. Their Fall/Winter 21 collection was displayed on former and current ballerinas because of Moralioglu’s admiration for Margot Fonteyn. And the color palette of their Spring/Summer 21 collection embodied The Volcano Lover by Susan Sontag. For SS22, the designer’s inspiration came from Dame Edith Sitwell and Lady Ottoline Morrell—both British affluent women from the 19th and 20th century. The brand describes them as ”enigmatic characters who lived on the peripheries between myth and reality”. Sitwell was a poet and critic, and Morell an aristocrat. Some may view them as more different than similar, but both equally refused to fit in. 

Looking at the collection, each piece stands out in a subtle way thanks to the embellished details, lace and floral prints. Fans of the brand may have noticed fabric from past seasons on a few pieces, which was a way to commemorate the brand’s 15th anniversary. But most importantly, the collection is filled with poetic, elegant and timeless pieces for the next brilliant woman wanting to stand out—just like Sitwell and Morell themselves. 

Back in June, Erdem announced its first menswear collection that was inspired by British filmmaker Derek Jarman, and the color palette of Patrick Proktor’s paintings. SS22 fuses both menswear and womenswear, with tailored blazers and dress shorts that blur the gender line. In a similar sense, SS22 encourages vulnerability and emotion. Unlike your typical bright tones for the spring and summer, Erdem keeps it neutral. This takes you back in time to where fashion was rich in embroidery, and focused more on accentuating the silhouette, but with a modern twist. The overall mood is tranquil yet delicate, especially with the setting of the show being at the British Museum in London. The collection also contains a blend of evening and casual wear, as well as flamboyant hats that exude romance. Overall, it is a collection that perfectly embodies Erdem’s message and style, and will long be recognized as one of their bests. 

Explore SS22 on Erdem’s website.