You’ve seen the sneak peeks – today is the day you can get your hands on ERDEM x H&M for real.
WHAT: The ERDEM x H&M designer collaboration.
WHO: London-based designer Erdem Moralioglu was tapped by H&M this year to collaborate on the always in-demand collection. Previous designers include KENZO (2016), Balmain (2015) and Alexander Wang (2014).
WHEN: The collection goes on sale globally on November 2. It will be available in New Zealand from H&M’s Sylvia Park store.
HOW MUCH? Products range from $39.99 for a pair of earrings, to $399 for a wool coat. Our pick? The hoodies and t-shirts from the men’s collection are not only beautiful, but great value.
Scroll below to see the full range, including prices.
FQ spoke to the designer behind the collaboration, Erdem Moralioglu (pictured above, centre), as well as H&M’s creative director Ann-Sofie Johansson (left), to get more insight into the collection – how it came together and where you should wear it.
FQ: We’ve read that when designing the collaboration, you pulled lots of references from a personal scrapbook – how did this process influence your designs?
Erdem Moralioglu: I’ve always loved creating a narrative around my collections. It’s something that’s such an important part of my design process, and that narrative then leads to the whole collection. For ERDEM x H&M I was thinking back to how I could reappropriate my past designs, as well as memories of growing up in Canada, and also thinking about a group of friends taking over a grand country mansion, and making the clothes they find there their own.
You’re known for exceptional floral prints – can you tell us a story or a memory involving your favourite flower and how it’s played into your collections past or present?
That’s a really interesting question, because in my previous collections I have thought about the specific meaning of particular flowers and what they symbolise. For ERDEM X H&M, I was looking at flowers from a decorative point of view, thinking about the Englishness of upholstery fabrics and wallpapers from the 1930s and 40s. I was playing with scale and formality, like the small flowers we’ve used on the silk pyjamas, or the wildflower jacquard for the tailored blazer.
Dead or alive, if you had to cast an iconic female as a romantic lead who embodies the spirit of your Erdem x H&M collaboration, who would you choose and why?
When I think about ERDEM x H&M, it’s much more interesting for me to think of all the people who will get to wear the collection around the world. It’s such an amazing feeling for me to know that my work will be available on such a wide platform, to so many people who may never have worn my designs before.
Can you tell me about your favourite pieces in the collection – and the ideal situation or occasion each piece would be ideally suited to?
I’d have to say my favourite piece is the beautiful women’s double-breasted suit. We had already made single-breasted version for men, and when we were doing the fittings, I put it on our female fit model. It looked so wonderful and relevant, I knew we had to make a version for women too. It’s recut to be double-breasted so that it has an even more masculine shape, and the trousers are cut with a high-waist, and are boyish and wide. It’s such a special piece that can be worn in so many ways, either formally or nonchalantly thrown over your shoulders.
What are some of the key pieces in the collection that have derived from your other mainline collections or archive designs?
There are some pieces that come pretty much directly from the archives, like the pleated dress that’s a version of one from my very first collection. But in most cases it’s an idea or a detail that we’ve reppropriated and used in a new way, such as the feeling of Victoriana, or a trim of button loops. Some pieces I’ve designed for the very first time, like the hoodies. It’s been such a fun process, and I’m proud of every single piece in the collection.
WATCH THE SHORT FILM, DIRECTED BY BAZ LUHRMANN, HERE:
We put some similar questions to H&M creative director Ann-Sofie Johansson. Here’s her take on the collection:
Each year there must be pressure to deliver hype – and of course, a beautiful collection – with the H&M designer collaboration. What made you choose to work with Erdem this year and what does he bring to the table that is perhaps different from previous collaborators?
We are great admirers of Erdem’s beautiful work and we have had our eyes on him since the start of his own successful company. I also had the opportunity to meet him when he was member of the jury at the H&M Design Award a couple of years ago. The timing felt right for a collaboration with a British designer well known for his romantic and feminine style following the immediacy and impact of Kenzo. At the same time, it is thrilling that people who might don’t know who ERDEM is will become familiar with his amazing work thanks to this collaboration.
What is your favourite piece/s in the collection and how would you recommend the everyday woman wears them to their best potential?
It is hard to select only one, I love all of them! I really like the jacquard suit, the tweed garments or the leopard fake fur long coat, together with the jewel bag, making the whole outfit very cool. I love to mix the collection with garments from the men’s collection, such as the silk pyjama. The whole collection is very versatile and you can easily dress it up or dress it down depending on the different occasions and I can imagine ladies buying some of the styles from the men’s collection and vice versa.
The collection is a nod to British heritage which, as a trend, has definitely been having a moment in recent seasons. What do you think it is about that certain ‘English-ness’ that appeals to a global audience?
For me, this trend is about pure beauty. It’s like beautification for the troubled world that we live in. I think that right now, our eyes need to see something that is beautiful, charming and delicate.
New Zealanders – particularly men – are quite conservative when it comes to fashion. How would you suggest we take this collection and incorporate it into our wardrobes?
The result of Erdem’s first men’s collection is amazing. The collaboration with H&M will offer a tight, well edited collection built around favourites from the male wardrobe. You can easily see him in every piece of the men collection. The tweed suit, white shirt, together with more sporty garments is something he wears everyday as his favorite pieces. As I said before, the collection is very versatile.
H&M has been making concerted efforts to work towards a sustainability and eco-friendly business model. Given the need for quality fabrics and a certain level of craftsmanship with the designer collaborations, how have you factored this into the collection and have any special efforts been made on that front?
Sustainability is an integrated part of our business so we understand it should be in everything we do, and Erdem understands it in the same way. We are very happy to include selected pieces from the ladies and men collections made of organic cotton in our ERDEM x H&M collection.
* ERDEM x H&M arrives in store 2 November 2017 from 9am at H&M Sylvia Park, Auckland.
