Erdem channels Chatsworth: Imaginary Conversations, a review

7 October 2024, by Francine McMahon

In this week’s blog post, Costume Society Blog Editor Francine McMahon reviews Erdem: Imaginary Conversations, on view at Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, until October 20th.

Anyone who has visited Chatsworth House will not struggle to understand why designer Erdem Moralıoğlu, eponymous founder of London-based Erdem, was compelled to use it as inspiration for the design of the label’s Spring/Summer 24 collection. The iconic stately home, sat glowing amongst the Peak District valleys, is home to the Devonshire Collections. Privately owned, the collection hosts a breadth of items spanning furnishings, ceramics, sculpture, Old Master paintings, photography, and jewellery to name a few. It was a combination of textiles, jewellery, and most importantly the stories within the collection, however, that Erdem and his design team drew on; the archival material ignited a collection inspired by ‘imaginary conversations’ held between the designer and Deborah Devonshire, Duchess of Devonshire (1920-2024). This process and subsequent collection is explored in the current exhibition 'Erdem: Imaginary Conversations'.

‘Duchess Deborah’ may be more commonly recognised by her maiden name, Deborah Mitford, youngest of the Mitford sisters. Having married Lord Andrew Cavendish in 1941, Deborah unexpectedly became Duchess of Devonshire following the untimely death of Lord Cavendish’s elder brother and not long after, his father. As such, the couple inherited the family seat, and were resident at Chatsworth from 1959. The Duchess developed a deep interest and bond with the house and its history, and can be credited for its continued success as a publicly visited stately home. As such, her mark on Chatsworth is deep and ever present, making her a worthy muse for Erdem’s collection.

The exhibition itself is spread throughout the guest bedrooms, part of the visitor route. The first of these sees archival imagery across the walls, alongside items of Duchess Deborah’s clothing and textiles in display cabinets; a perfect initial insight into her energy and character. Speakers playing Moralıoğlu’s own voice speaking about the collection and design process aids in evoking the ‘imaginary conversation’ connecting the designer and the Duchess.

The second room of the exhibition sees the design process of Erdem’s collection. Fabric samples, design drawings, garment patterns and final collection polaroids subtly but clearly draw the thread between the collection, the house, and its eclectic guardian we were introduced to in the room previous. Being surrounded by the start-to-finish workings of Erdem’s design team also provides a strong introduction to the label’s design codes. While I, admittedly, entered the exhibition with extreme positive bias – Erdem being one of my favourite designers and Chatsworth being one of my favourite places – it is safe to assume that Erdem would not be familiar to many other visitors, being a much newer name on the design scene compared to its heritage counterparts. This immersion in the world of Erdem is enhanced further by the enduring magic of Chatsworth’s interiors; the fabrics and prints of Erdem’s collection not far removed from the colourful English country house interiors. Head of Textiles at Chatsworth, Susie Stokoe, reveals that the inspiration extends beyond replica, as some of the garments seen on display do contain pieces of curtains from the Chatsworth textile collection (for example Look 42, Erdem SS24). This conversation continues as we follow the story through the following rooms.

Key looks from Erdem’s Spring/Summer 24 collection are displayed across the remaining bedrooms; the designer’s sumptuous use of fabric, print, colour and volume all in harmony with the painted wallpapers and draped fabrics they sit amongst. The breadth of the brand’s designs, as well as the relationship to Duchess Deborah as their inspiration, is evident. Erdem’s collaboration with iconic British brand Barbour sees its classic quilting reimagined in florals, perfectly balancing the clothing needs of a life amongst the Derbyshire countryside with the ostentatious decoration of the house. Eveningwear demonstrates the designer’s confidence with varied silhouettes. Dresses and tailored ensembles represent decades of fashion from across Duchess Deborah’s lifetime; a cream 1920s-esque slip dress with striking emerald green embellishments, a 1940s ‘New Look’ style skirt in a bespoke Chatsworth print in bold pinks, and a 1960s-appropriate a-line skirt and brocaded jacket are displayed together.

As well as breathtaking beauty and elegance, there is humour and character too. The Chatsworth collection includes, alongside riding boots and insect brooches, Duchess Deborah’s Elvis Presley memorabilia. A fan of the singer, we gain a deeper connection with the Duchess by seeing her Elvis slippers, embroidered Elvis velvet purse, and Elvis photographs on display. Erdem brings this unexpected trait into the collection; cobalt blue studded and tasselled leather jackets bring a touch of Graceland to the English stately home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exhibition, a mix of portraits, textiles, personal objects and jewellery, displayed alongside the contemporary fashion collection inspired by the character to whom they belonged, provides a touching and insightful introduction to the bright and bold Duchess Deborah. Her legacy as a guardian and champion of Chatsworth, as well as her more private and personal characteristics, are represented and honoured beautifully in Erdem’s collection; a testament to the passion and expertise of the Chatsworth Collections Team, the innovation, humour, and thoughtfulness of the fashion label’s design team, and the joyful tribute this proved to create.

The exhibition is on view at Chatsworth House until October 20th, entry included with purchase of a House ticket.

Francine has previously reviewed exhibitions including Material Power: Palestinian Embroidery at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester. Catch up or revisit the post on our blog.