Portal4Fashion.com

The latest label to make an impact on the fashion shoreline in London is Erdem, which staged an inventive, ladylike and Impressionistic collection that confirmed its designer Erdem Moralioglu as an important, and probably influential, new talent.
 
It was also by far the most apt collection in London for St Valentine's Day, with its Giverny water lily and Japanese bridge like colors meets Jasper John abstraction prints, used in curvy frocks, to the floor gowns and saucy cocktails, all embellished with colorful crystal baubles.

"Why do we need old folks like Oscar de la Renta when there's such great romantic talent like Erdem here in London," sniffed one well-heeled senior buyer as she sauntered out to he awaiting limo, toting up her future order as she went.

Moralioglu would also appear to be one of those fellows her gets the zeitgeist. He sent out a couple of trenches with big fabric flower trims that were a tad too fussy for our taste, but you just know somebody in the design department of H&M or Zara will have their photo on their trend board next week – and a watered down version on retail shelves in a few months. That will be irritating for Moralioglu but ultimately proof of his talent, as imitation is the highest form of fashion flattery. Just ask Miuccia Prada.

The collection was certainly erratic and contained the odd clunker. Moreover, presenting such romantic clothes in a high-end food market detracted from the mood and sensibility.  But ultimately this was a very fine fashion performance, which everyone from Miuccia to Monet would have dug. We certainly did.  Look forward to big things for Erdem down the road.