Overview

The first book to celebrate the work of beloved British fashion designer Erdem Moralioglu, published to coincide with the designer’s twentieth year in fashion. Romantic and poetic, yet edgy, bold, and contemporary, Erdem’s creations have captivated the global fashion scene for two decades. Taking inspiration for his collections largely from women—rebels—who lived just as they wanted to, Erdem has fashioned a universe where his deep love and appreciation for the past is seamlessly joined with a passion for the here and now.  Renowned soprano Maria Callas; Dame Edith Sitwell, a Bloomsbury satellite; Princess Orietta Doria Pamphilj, a descendant of Pope Innocent X; and the LGBTQ writer Radclyffe Hall are only a few examples of the women whose life stories have been spun into the fabric of Erdem’s collections. Evidence of his love of deep research, the book contains many archival items related to his collections that have been photographed especially for this book. Signature floral dresses and organza gowns displayed alongside the personalities and objects that helped inspire them bring to life the material world of the muse and Erdem’s inventiveness in translating stories into textile form. His designs have established him as a favorite among fashion insiders, celebrities, and royalty.   A wardrobe of wonders, this much-anticipated book looks at the genius behind one of the most celebrated, independent houses of fashion’s twenty-first century. A series of essays by renowned fashion voices illuminate the designer’s process, craft, and inspirations and complete this highly personal volume.

Full Product Details

9780847864737

Table of Contents

Reviews

""And yet...does one really need fashion week when they have @rizzolibooks."" — Carla Rockmore ""Moralioglu’s first book, “Erdem,” published with Rizzoli, is a medley of the label’s archival images from the past two decades, spliced with essays from friends and collaborators like Nicholas Cullinan, the director of the British Museum, and Andrew Bolton, a prominent fashion curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There are snapshots of Moralioglu’s parents and twin sister alongside his early sketches, and portraits of the muses who have inspired him (including the dancer Adele Astaire, sister of Fred Astaire, who left Broadway to marry a lord and live in an Irish castle, and Fanny and Stella, a pair of Victorian-era drag performers). The book also contains surprising tributes, like a recipe for strawberry sorbet by Ruth Rogers, a founder of London’s River Café, who likens the dessert to a pink Erdem dress from 2017, and a gossipy scene from a play by Polly Stenham. “The book moves through fragments,” says Moralioglu in his introduction, “moments, voices and images that together build a larger picture. It is my story, yes, but also the story of everyone who has helped shape this journey with me..."" — New York Times ""With a foreword by Anna Wintour and contributions from leading voices across art, literature, and style, the monograph offers a poetic look into Erdem Moralioglu's inspirations, process, and the creative world he has built over two decades."" — L'Officiel USA ""Almost two years in the making, Erdem knew exactly what he did not intend: a standard issue fashion coffee table book, heavy on images but light on text. ""I want the reader to understand me not only as a fashion designer but as a person,"" he says. Erdem is a richly layered reflection on two decades of creativity, shaped by a chorus of friends and collaborators including Christian Lacroix, Glenn Close, and W's own editor in chief, Sara Moonves. ""That's more interesting than a single authorial voice,"" he explains. Contributions range from a scene from The Attitudes, Polly Stenham's play staged in lieu of the spring 2021 runway show, to Hanya Yanagihara's short story ""The Green Dress,"" inspired by a spring 2025 fringed flapper dress, and Ruthie Rogers's recipe for strawberry sorbet to match a spring 2018 confection. The book is equally a feast for the eyes, offering a carefully curated selection of fashion imagery that enriches its intimate scope. Highlights include ""About Time, About Her,"" a retrospective photo essay by Paul Kooiker featuring cover model Guinevere Van Seenus-who walked in Erdem's very first show and has since been a constant presence on the runway and in campaigns-embodying twenty muses from the archive, including Maria Callas, George Sand, and Queen Elizabeth II. Louvre curator Olivier Gabet contributes ""Objects of My Affection,"" a collection of still lifes exploring clothing as objects of desire. And in ""Erdem's Lens,"" the designer takes a turn behind the camera, presenting a unique portfolio ranging from architectural studies at Sir John Soane's Museum to portraits of Alek Wek, Claire Foy, and Keira Knightley."" — W Magazine ""I didn't want the book to feel chronological, but rather something very personal, a manifesto, almost, of how I've approached creating this body of work over the last twenty years,"" Moralioglu tells me one bright autumnal morning in his Paris showroom, which is humming with activity. (Between us chatting, he's fielding congratulations on his spring 2026 collection every five minutes.) ""There is, yes, the chronology of the thumbnails of every single collection I've done. But the book is much more than that."" Indeed it is. Just before the holidays last year, I had visited Moraliglu at his London atelier, where there were boards and boards of layouts and pages and ideas-a sense of order finding its place amidst creative spontaneity. Erdem is, thank goodness, more than a repository of look book images and advertising campaigns, so often the curse of the contemporary designer monograph. I will always remember one colleague sniffing and declaring the glut of such dull unimaginative books as ""the new scented candle""-i.e., omnipresent, inescapable, and something everyone has done. Moralioglu has also gotten behind the camera to shoot his clothes, images which are included in Erdem. There's no danger of that here. Instead, Moralioglu offers an intimate snapshot of who and what makes him tick, which runs the gamut: There's a breakdown of key books in his library, from Irving Penn's Flowers to Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin; we read Moralioglu in conversation with the majestic Glenn Close; novelist and editor Hanya Yanagihara contributes an original short story about a dress; chef Ruth Rogers, of London's River Café fame, came up with a recipe inspired by his clothing; and British playwright Polly Stenham offers an excerpt from a play. And then there are contributions from writer Charlie Porter, British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan, and Andrew Bolton of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York."" — Vogue

""And yet...does one really need fashion week when they have @rizzolibooks."" -Carla Rockmore

""And yet...does one really need fashion week when they have @rizzolibooks."" — Carla Rockmore ""Moralioglu’s first book, “Erdem,” published with Rizzoli, is a medley of the label’s archival images from the past two decades, spliced with essays from friends and collaborators like Nicholas Cullinan, the director of the British Museum, and Andrew Bolton, a prominent fashion curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There are snapshots of Moralioglu’s parents and twin sister alongside his early sketches, and portraits of the muses who have inspired him (including the dancer Adele Astaire, sister of Fred Astaire, who left Broadway to marry a lord and live in an Irish castle, and Fanny and Stella, a pair of Victorian-era drag performers). The book also contains surprising tributes, like a recipe for strawberry sorbet by Ruth Rogers, a founder of London’s River Café, who likens the dessert to a pink Erdem dress from 2017, and a gossipy scene from a play by Polly Stenham. “The book moves through fragments,” says Moralioglu in his introduction, “moments, voices and images that together build a larger picture. It is my story, yes, but also the story of everyone who has helped shape this journey with me..."" — New York Times

Author Information

Erdem Moralioglu MBE earned his master’s degree in 2003 from the Royal College of Art. After working with Vivienne Westwood and Diane von Furstenberg, he launched his eponymous label in 2005. He has received numerous accolades, including the British Fashion Council’s Designer of the Year award and the Vogue Fashion Fund Award. Maria Balshaw CBE is director of Tate, London. Tim Blanks is editor-at-large, Business of Fashion. Hugo Macdonald is global design director of Wallpaper. Sarah Mower MBE is a fashion journalist and critic for US Vogue and an advocate for young designers. She is the British Fashion Council’s Ambassador for Emerging Talent and Chair of the NEWGEN committee. Charlie Porter is a writer, fashion critic, and curator. He has written for the Financial Times, the Guardian, The New York Times, GQ, Luncheon, i-D and Fantastic Man. Ruthie Rogers is a renowned chef, restaurateur, and cofounder of the River Café, a Michelin-starred restaurant in London. Polly Stenham MBE, FRSL is a playwright known for her play That Face. Dan Thawley is a writer, curator, and artistic director. He is the former editor-in-chief of A Magazine Curated By. Anna Wintour is editor in chief and chief content officer of American Vogue and Condé Nast.

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