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Very few people have not heard of that famous line uttered by Miranda Priestly in the film The Devil Wears Prada: “Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.” Designer Erdem Moralioglu turns this statement on its head. On Thursday, 2 November, a dainty yet sombre collection of dresses, suits, and accessories hit the H&M stores as part of the designer Erdem’s collaboration with the high-street retailer, proving once and for all that florals cannot only be limited to one season. As the opening scene in its Baz Luhrmann-directed campaign film goes, “Welcome to Reddham gardens, where it’s always spring.”
The collection seems to be largely inspired by English fashion before and during the turn of the nineteenth century. With the florals, tweed textures, and frilly accents, it’s almost as if the designer raided Miss Marple’s spring closet and turned all things twee into high fashion glamour. Styles and attitudes that are youthful and modern collide with the long-forgotten opulence and wealth that were displayed by the upper-class in the early parts of the 1900s, making for an aesthetic that is difficult to refuse. The contrast between these two concepts is echoed in the collaboration between Erdem and H&M itself: a label that is designed for wealthier clients joining forces with a brand that is well-known and loved by younger, more economical fashionistas.
The Erdem x H&M collection marks the first time that Erdem has released menswear, which, for the collection’s runway, was mixed and matched with the womenswear line. Moralioglu explains that this is part of his mission of inclusivity for the collection, saying “Boys dressed up as girls, girls dressed up as boys… felt really inclusive.” While it may be less common to see men in ruffled, high-neck shirts, and gem-decorated earrings, it is worth noting that women have long been wearing tweed suits and silk pajamas that are supposedly made for men. This rather obvious choice aside, the extravagance of the collection ensures that it still manages to be a showstopper for any party or social gathering.
The price point of the collection is quite high, especially for regular H&M customers, with socks that cost €34.99 and scarves that cost €59.99. However, Moralioglu justifies this by saying that he did not want to create fast fashion, even going as far as saying that he wanted to create the opposite of fast fashion, with pieces that would “feel relevant in 10 years, 20 years.” With the renewable fashion movement gaining more and more ground, this is perhaps the loudest message that Erdem has sent through its collection with one of the biggest fast-fashion retailers in the world.
