Erdem Spring/Summer 2024 - London Fashion Week

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London-based designer Erdem Moralıoğlu has once again graced the fashion world with his artistic genius, unveiling the Erdem Spring/Summer 2024 collection, a masterful blend of opulence and decay inspired by Deborah “Debo” Cavendish, the late Duchess of Devonshire. This collection marries the pragmatic with the extravagant, the old with the new, in a way only Erdem could envision.

Erdem Moralıoğlu is no stranger to taking inspiration from powerful and unconventional women of the past. His Spring/Summer 2024 collection is a prime example, focusing on the life and style of Debo, the Mitford girl who later became the Duchess of Devonshire. Debo’s character, a robustly practical countrywoman with a flair for the whimsical, informed every aspect of this collection, from the richly tattered fabrics to the intricate bug jewelry.

Drawing from Debo’s multifaceted personality, Erdem meticulously worked with the textile and jewelry archivists at Chatsworth, as well as Helen Marchant, her former private secretary, to source authentic fabrics and images for the collection. The result was a harmonious blend of full-skirted print frocks, jeweled lingerie dresses, unravelling tweeds, and crystal-studded leather jackets, paying homage to Debo’s penchant for ’50s ballgowns, Elvis Presley, and practical country attire.

Notably, the collection also captures the spirit of Debo’s efforts to save Chatsworth, one of England’s grandest estates, from financial ruin. Her practical approach to life, characterized by a “make-do and mend” attitude, helped transform Chatsworth into a commercial enterprise, opening it to the public and starting a farm shop. This resourcefulness is mirrored in the collection, with antique drapes repurposed into tulle ball-skirts and fabrics sourced from Chatsworth woven into patchwork cape coats.

Moreover, Erdem gave many pieces a contemporary twist, highlighting the timeless quality of Debo’s style. A slinky negligee dress was transformed into a striking highlighter green, while oversized, studded Elvis jackets appeared in shades of petrol blue and emerald. This juxtaposition of old and new, grand and tattered, symbolizes the passing down, alteration, and reuse of things by each generation – a theme that resonates throughout the collection.

The collection is further enriched by the contributions of Debo’s descendants. Her great-granddaughter, Cecily Lasnet, the daughter of the late Stella Tennant, handcrafted black lace embroidery that adorned the flowery cotton antique drapes in the collection. Dragonfly brooches and a two-pronged tiara, reminiscent of insect antennae, captured Debo’s quirky love for bug jewelry, a passion she passed onto her granddaughter, Stella Tennant.