PHOTOGRAPHY BY CATWALKING.COM
REPORT BY BECKY SUNSHINE
In a geodesic dome, like a landed spacecraft, Erdem presented an almost all-dress collection inspired by Zenna Henderson, the American sci-fi writer of the Fifties and Sixties, and her tales of female clones arriving on Earth. That meant deft, couture-like cutting – a highlight for Erdem’s ladylike fans – but this time more cocoon-style silhouettes. “The volume was odd, no?” he said backstage. “For me it was quite nipped in, but I love the serenity and contrast of the organza layer over the top.” Experiments with unexpected fabrications and colour gave the sense he’d moved his aesthetic along: PVC woven with baby blue or acid-orange threads, python skin spliced with duchesse satin or patchwork lace. We know he’s good with colour, but spring felt ramped up, more cool and dangerous. “This was about Henderson’s characters trying to blend in on Earth, so I chose toxic pastels; dirty, weird colours. I wanted to show uncomfortable combinations.” And that he did. Beautifully
