The opera wardrobe inspired by Medea’s 1953 performance: Erdem pays homage to an opera diva
Celebrating timeless elegance: Erdem's AW24 collection takes us to the 1950s, with a stunning tribute to Maria Callas.
Medea, an opera brought on stage by Maria Callas in 1953 at La Scala in Milan, is the key lines of the new Autumn/Winter collection of the Londoner brand Erdem. Set in the British Museum, specifically in the Duveen Gallery, where the Parthenon Marbles are exhibited, the brand’s creative director Erdem Moralioglu unveils a tribute to the soprano Maria Callas.
The choice of the location reflects the origins of the Greek-American soprano, and the runway became a canvas where the spirit of the legendary opera diva met the craftsmanship of high-end fashion.
The brand is known for being a storyteller of heroines, always creating narrative-driven designs. ‘The collection explores the thin realm between myth and reality, on stage and off stage, dressed and undressed, person and persona, sorcery and seduction,’ says Moralioglu explaining the theme behind the collection.
The fashion show starts with a public intervention of Maria Callas and continues with Nadine Benjamin’s divine performance.
Already setting the bar, the fashion show started with a wool opera coat with an outsized shawl collar in a muted shade of green, coordinating with a pencil skirt in the same colour and a light grey bralette with a slightly darker floral satin.
In the celebration of Maria Callas’ extraordinariness, it’s impossible to ignore her Cherubini's Medea performance that defined her career at La Scala in Milan in 1953. Moralioglu was no exception, bringing on the catwalk some of the most iconic looks of the soprano.
Look 7, which was presented in a variety of colours and fits, captures the brushstrokes of Callas’ dress, with the addition of a recurring floral pattern.
The pattern was also worn by frow stars Lily James, who’s wearing the look from the SS24 collection presented last September, and Zawe Ashton.
In the same way, look 15, as well as look 14, is composed of long opera gloves and a dress with a one-shoulder stole, whose print is inspired by Salvatore Fiumi’s Medea set design.
Faux fur and feathers are also protagonists of the collection, which seems to be a trend around other brands like Molly Goddard, David Koma, and Simone Rocha; taking inspiration from the grand association with opera, these touches give off the same sense of dramaticness.
Among the materials used, the sleek and clean items are created using herringbones and tweed.
The choice of accessories helped bring Maria Callas’ inspiration to come full circle. Much like the choice of materials used, the choice of adornments strengthened the opera inspired look.
The bold tulip-shaped gold accessories elevate the relatively simple designs so that it becomes on par with the extravagance of the fur-based looks. In the form of earrings and brooches, these tulips are a representative of the feeling of achievement after a successful performance which also appears to be the choice of flower thrown onto a stage at the end of a show.
Another iconic feature of Moralioglu’s designs is the presence of opera-length gloves. In the 1950s, gloves were a significant embellishment to symbolise social status and a sign of a luxurious lifestyle. This, in conjunction with the elegant items, allow the guests to feel the empowerment of women throughout the runway, much like how an audience feels the power of a soprano performing.
Wanting to represent and blur the thin boundary between ‘reality and myth’, Erdem’s creative director was smart when it came to the hair styling. All models are seen to be wearing what resembles a wig hair net; the intention with this styling choice supports the message Moralioglu wants to press by making the models appear to have taken their wigs off, as if they are now off stage.
This idea extends to the whole structure of the catwalk: opening with a sleek look and slowly introducing the more casual and realistic side of a Star. This is evident as he decides to conclude the fashion show with the models wearing robes made out of materials used for quilts and pyjamas.
Bravo!