storyteller
“We tell ourselves stories in order to live...” -Joan Didion
all images courtesy of erdem via vogue and the impression
It struck me immediately, Didion’s quote on storytelling and the stories that propel us forward, or at least give us the reasoning to the events. Erdem has always been this for me. A poet through design, a romantic novel in details, layers upon the chapters. The setting always magical; the characters always beautiful. I wondered how he would write this story in a time of such despair and darkness. How does one foster the narrative and bring joy when so much is sorrow? Stories have always been the escape, the thoughts of other, the dreams, the curiosity. Thankfully, Erdem found his inspiration in a book by Susan Sontag. The Volcano Lover, Sontag’s portrait of the 18th-century beauty Emma Hamilton, married a volcanologist obsessed with Grecian vases and had a passionate love affair with Lord Nelson. Escapism at its finest! Devour a book; take the energy, the romance and create this into a new medium.
Erdem is always one of my favorites. There is no hiding this fact. He always puts my most loved ingredients into each show: romanticism, ribbons, florals, woodlands, feminine details, and a historian nod found in curated museums. This was the magic I needed this season. The beauty of a painted floral, the tails of an endless ribbon, oversized cardi’s offering hugs against your fragile frame. The setting of a story where the fairytale ends well after frightening monsters and villains shake the castle’s foundation. The precision of embellishments; I found myself transported to Marie Antionette’s garden portrayed by Sofia Coppola. Dandelion puffs blowing in the wind, buds of hope blossoming in the fields, bouquets in bounty at a dinner gathering. It set the stage for my own story.
The dresses. What he does best… transported to a cinema of the mind. Where would I wear this? Who doesn’t want a PINK dress with the most perfect ribbon tail? Ascot scarves, collars all the rage, thank you RBG, dripping earrings all framing ones hopeful face. These are the collections that say something. Craftsmanship. Art. A narrative all his own. Never wavering to what is popular, but what is right to him and to his loyal base. Intelligent gatherings that act as an archeologist in his craft. A lesson to be learned, a book waiting to be read. A story ready to be told.
The year of magical thinking… where there is so much ugly, let the beautiful dreams be the focus.
