Designer. London
Akin to his enigmatic floral prints, Erdem burst onto the fashion scene and captivated the hearts of chic ladies everywhere: Kate Middleton's, Michelle Williams', the Olsens' and of course our own. So we were pretty keen when we got to catch up with the Montreal native on our recent 48-hour jaunt to the U.K. His Emma Stone-lookalike, P.R. girl, Niamh, whose vibrant personality echoed that of Erdem’s collections, greeted us and then introduced us to the man of the hour. We spent the day swapping stories with Erdem about his days at Rye High—that’s the on-campus nickname for the widely recognized Ryerson University—and discussed life in downtown Toronto. Aside from his mesmerizing clothes, the man is known for his quirky spectacles, so we were eager to check out his signature collection of amazing frames. Erdem then taught us some Eyewear 101, educating us on his favorite frames: Cutler and Gross is his go-to, but Oliver Peoples is a close runner-up. And although Erdem doesn’t have the best eyesight, we (as do many others) think he’s a creative visionary with an eye for all things beautiful.
Even when he’s a little tipsy at his favorite pub/art gallery, Nelson’s Head, he still manages to pick out some of the coolest looking pieces—which goes for his YSL posters, too. Erdem’s affection for color transcends from his collection into his closet and home. Did you see his neon Nikes? We got the grand tour of his space, including the room where he designs all of his collections, which Erdem says is “a little bit like the inside of [his] brain.” We were especially envious of his eBay-acquired collection of vintage magazines and endless shelves of optimal reading material. The man really knows his stuff. His unique collectibles from worldwide travels in Japan and Hong Kong made for an interesting contrast to his A.P.C. staples. And before we left, we had the pleasure of meeting his four-legged friend—an Erdem-printed, stuffed dachshund made for the window of Colette in Paris and sold exclusively on NET-A-PORTER. If only we had room in our carry-ons...
This mirror is from my favorite pub in London called ‘Nelson’s Head’ where you can buy the art off of the walls. The magazines were bought during a brief, intense obsession with eBay. I go through phases of collecting things. Books are my main obsession.
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Briefcase, Globetrotter
Another YSL poster and a dachshund that I made for the window of Collette in Paris.
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Dog, Custom Erdem for Collette
The dossier is from a wonderful art store in Paris where you can get beautiful art materials. The painting is my Mexican Mona Lisa. I bought it at the Nelson’s Head pub around the corner from my studio…very, very tipsy.
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Dossier, Couleurs du Quai
HRH Queen Elizabeth, Unknown Designer
I do wear lots of A.P.C. Their store is located behind my studio. As with the sweater and the shoes, I tend to be a lazy shopper.
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Jacket, A.P.C.
Shoes, Converse
The butterflies are a present my sister brought back from Deyrolle—an amazing taxidermy shop in Paris.
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Tie, Start
My space is essentially a library. I have an avid passion for collecting books. My dancing Geisha was bought on holiday in Japan and the waving cat is from Hong Kong.
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The butterflies are from eBay. The cuckoo clock is a gift my sister gave me for Christmas while we were in Zermatt.
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Eyeglasses, Cutler and Gross
I am a uniform dresser. I tend to wear the same type of clothing every day. I’m a very lazy shopper.
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All, A.P.C.
I always use a Smythson diary. I love the colors. I ordered these shoes online with my name on them and the ‘Love’ poster is from the YSL Foundation in Paris. I tried to find one from every year he did. I bought them a long time ago.
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Shoes, Custom Nike
My watch is a Bauhaus design. It’s a wind-up and I love the simplicity of it. My boyfriend gave it to me for my 30th birthday. The owl is from a toy store in Japan.
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Watch, Max Bill
I have bad eyesight. I generally wear Cutler and Gross glasses. This pair is my current obsession. I love the clear frame. The birdcage is from my friend, Virginia.
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Eyeglasses, Oliver Peoples
This is my desk. I don’t usually keep shoes on it. You can see some of my favorite books: Goodbye Picasso by David Douglas Duncan and David Hockney at the Pompidou.
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Shoes, New Balance; Scarf, Sunspel; Eyeglasses, Cutler and Gross
Knapsack, Jansport
This camera is the same as the one Andy Warhol used to use. I haven’t been able to find any film that works with it yet. I’m seriously book obsessive. This room is where I design every collection, so it’s a little bit like the inside of my brain.
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Camera, Vintage
That is my favorite mustard knapsack.
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Shoes, Clarks; Briefcase, Globetrotter; Knapsack, Jansport
