Erdem Creates Their First Menswear Line for Spring/Summer 2022

Erdem's womenswear has been a pillar for modern romantics to anchor to for the last 15 years. With his history-inspired silhouettes, dreamy florals, and feminine aura, Erdem has created a niche of beauty and elegance. Now, he has expanded into menswear for the Spring/Summer 2022 collection.

The collection was inspired by film director Derek Jarman, and his lived-in, cottage style of dress that was always utilitarian at its core, as Jarman loved to garden. The ethos of Erdem's collection is structured around a "grab-and-go" approach, which means the clothes are equal parts utilitarian and gender fluid. "The boundaries between womenswear and menswear are evermore fluid and exciting," says Erdem, "I have imagined my mercurial protagonist having a younger brother, and he is wearing her clothes in his own way."

This seamlessly ties into the inspiration of Derek Jarman, as he often experimentally played with masculinity, sexuality (he was openly gay), and activism in his films. Most of his films have a punk feel, whether it's overt like the dystopian "burn it all down" energy of Jubilee (1978), or a deeply personal and reflective take on the AIDS crisis, like in Blue (1993), which was created just a year before Jarman died of AIDS complications. Erdem drew from the multi-faceted world of Derek Jarman to create a collection that is a little bit of everything - classic tailoring, grunge, effortlessness, passionate and romantic, yet practical and utilitarian.

The mix of style influences does more than create a versatile collection, it seeks to encourage a versatile life. The garments themselves are seasonally ambiguous, and easily adjustable to weather that changes on the fly. They feel historically-rooted, yet modern, with references to 18th century etching bleached onto a pair of jeans. Everything feels thrown together, but in a good way, like clothing is a background to life, instead of its focus. It's a collection that should be cherished, but not preserved in a museum-like style. It's meant to be worn, it's meant to be lived in, it's meant to be loved.

Below, our favorites from Erdem's Spring/Summer 2022 debut menswear collection.