H&M announced this week that its latest high-profile collaboration is with Erdem, the London-based brand founded by Canadian-Turkish fashion designer Erdem Moralioglu. This is the latest in a long line of tie-ups between the high-street fashion brand and big-name designers, with Erdem following in the footsteps of Karl Lagerfeld, Versace, Kenzo and Lanvin.
Although both parties are remaining tight lipped about what the collection will actually look like, we do know that for the first time ever, Erdem will be creating a line for men. A tantalising teaser video by Baz Luhrman offers the tiniest of glimpses at some of the pieces, and suggests that flowing dresses for women and silky pyjamas for men will be the order of the day. Given Erdem's previous form, here are some other elements that we expect to see in the new collection when it drops on November 2.
Ruffles: Erdem is a huge fan of ruffles and uses them to stunning effect. Whether layered into skirts or tumbling down the backs of dresses in the form of faux Victorian bustles, ruffles appear heavily season after season, so it is a fairly safe bet they will make a reappearance in November.
Florals: This is an Erdem’s trademark, and sits at the heart of Erdem's designs. We have seen floral motifs stitched onto transparent chiffon, rendered as soft, blurry patterns in silk and sequins, and even picked out as delicate broderie anglaise, so it is pretty much a given that the H&M pieces will serve up a veritable bouquet. We do know for certain that there will be stylised flowers scattered across the aforementioned pyjamas.
Feminine silhouettes: This is another house signature. Erdem has famously said that he does not care for seasonal trends, preferring instead to follow his heart. His autumn/winter 2017 collection was inspired by a fictitious meeting of his great-grandmothers – one from England, the other from Turkey - and featured a series of cinch-waisted looks and long flowing dresses. Favouring flowing, dramatic shapes, mixed with sharp, neat tailoring, Erdem is sure to introduce a touch of romanticism to the H&M offering.
