My First Show.

Thanks to the very kind A and S over at DiscoNap, I was lucky enough to attend the Erdem Fashion in Motion show at the V&A last month. And, oh, it was such a treat. I even had a front row pew from which to worship the designer’s divine creations.

The queue for the show stretched through a corridor lined with Indian sculpture, so the twenty minute wait passed in a haze of gold, entwined couples, jewel tones and animal Gods. The perfect amuse bouche. Once inside the Raphael Gallery, I took up my prized seat and indulged in a spot of voyeurism. My fellow show-goers were a delight to behold. A tiny boy sat opposite me, flanked with a parent on either side, sporting a long sleeved breton top and the smartest black trousers you ever did see. Throughout the show, his huge, doleful eyes were fixed upon Erdem’s floral spectacles but his arms remained firmly folded, lending him a critical demeanor. I spotted many a top-knot amongst the expectant rows; a look that is more than worth adopting, despite the inevitable headaches. My eyes were especially drawn to a one girl’s firm leather brogues which she had laced with cream chiffon ribbons. A well turned out crowd.

But what of Erdem’s models? Oh. My. The silhoutette, for the most part, was long and flowing. Graceful columns of fabric stalked the floor at a measured pace. The collection’s multiple influences melded together seamlessly; a hint of high-collared Victorian seaside attire here, a Miss Haversham-esque lace gown there. A print recalling an exotic forest seeped up from the hem of a sunshine-hued number, whilst a full-skirted haltner-neck became a Provencal still life, depicting a curious assortment of robust vegetables.

The show also proved aurally intriguing. Rich jewel-tones were accompanied by the rattle of beads as the models passed my seat and floor-sweeping bridal lengths rustled. I always fall for the soundtracks to Erdem shows; pared-back, electronic, oriental-seeming tracks abound. The same was true at the Fashion in Motion show but Moralioglu also opted for an orchestral version of Nirvana’s ‘Come As You Are’ for his finale. It was beautiful.

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