THE JOURNAL
Florals for spring might not have been “groundbreaking” for The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestly, but had she seen Mr Erdem Moralioglu’s efforts for SS22, she might have been somewhat less scathing.
The Canadian-born designer, who built his name on his mastery of richly embellished floral textiles and bold painterly prints, now lives in London’s Bloomsbury – a locale that has a long association with creative figures. It feels a particularly fitting habitat for a designer whose processes are defined by art and literature. “I collect books. Much of the inspiration for my collections comes from first edition books, which I tend to hunt for in auctions,” he explains. Indeed, the creative seed of this collection – which sees him apply his aptitude for colour and print to menswear for the first time – was found within the pages of Modern Nature, the diary of Mr Derek Jarman, the stage designer, cinematographer, author and Aids activist.
After being diagnosed as HIV positive in 1986, Jarman moved from London to Prospect Cottage in Dungeness, set on the shingle in the shadow of the power station, where he indulged his passion for horticulture. “Between lockdowns, I’d gone to Dungeness to Derek’s cottage by the sea and there was this great exhibit about his love for gardening. I’d read Modern Nature and I really started to think about Derek and look at the imagery of him. His diaries were also full of beautiful etchings and these very much informed the collection’s prints,” says Moralioglu. “Derek himself was almost quite utilitarian in the way he dressed, but also romantic. There was something that really struck me about that balance. That image of him walking the garden in oversized cords or a boiler suit.”
This romanticised theme of the artist by the sea runs as a common thread throughout the pieces. The Benedict chinos, made from silky, velvet-like English corduroy, have an art school nuance with their square, ankle-skimming cut and deftly combine function with poetic polish. The slouchy mohair sweaters and cardigans are standout pieces and have a Mr Kurt Cobain insouciance with their grungy tactility, while the boat-neck Dante sweater has a nautical elegance that anchors the collection.
The colour palette, which shifts from vivid turquoise and electric blue to earthy olive and camel, was drawn from the paintings of Mr Patrick Procktor – the flamboyant English artist and close friend of Jarman.
But of course, it’s botanical motifs that Moralioglu is known for and his use of hand-drawn elements and digital printing techniques typify his meticulous approach to pattern design. “I’ve always been attracted to the idea of creating things digitally that have a very human hand to them,” he says. In the case of the Olivier jeans, their over-blown, distorted rose print is taken from an 18th-century etching that was repeatedly blurred, printed and scanned to manipulate its graphic form and applied using a specialist bleaching method.
The blue and white toile de Jouy print, reminiscent of porcelain patterns, is applied across shirts, tees and denim. This is a recurring trademark of ERDEM collections and was originally taken from an antique botanical catalogue before being digitally altered.
The most striking print of chrysanthemum blooms – applied to the Lucius shirt and shorts – was found on a section of paper in a Victorian wallpaper catalogue. “There’s a sort of Oscar Wildian-mood to it. It almost feels like arts and crafts,” says Moralioglu.
Beyond the skilfully manipulated prints, the smaller details shine through and demand closer scrutiny. From buttons covered in matching patterned fabric, to the wide 1970s-inspired chino belt loops, to the subtly stepped-up length of the sweater cuffs which impart a sense cosiness, every component part feels considered.
While there’s a long history of men wearing floral prints – from Mr Oscar Wilde in the 19th century to Mr Jim Hendrix in the 1970s – Moralioglu today advocates juxtaposing botanical prints with solid hues, or going bold with head-to-toe pattern. “I’m quite interested in the idea of contrast – having that one piece that twists your look. Equally, a ‘total look’ with a matching floral-print shirt and jeans has a real modernity to it,” he explains. “This collection was about creating a blueprint for the future – those nuanced classics which you can wear together or break up, or dress up with a tweed blazer or wear simply with a white T-shirt and Stan Smiths and look amazing.” Ultimately, however you choose to wear it, this is the collection that will see your style credentials blossom.