Erdem & H&M

[chewiecat]

Oops I may have gone a bit ott and bought about £2000 worth of items

I can return them right??

Also I guess that's just the price of ONE Erdem dress normally so I'm getting a bargain?

That jacket looks great. I like the skirt too, although like you I don’t think I would wear them together, I do like them together, just not sure I could carry them off....

Today is the last day for store returns I think. I’m considering popping in at lunchtime for a browse, although I may be too lazy as I can’t buy anything else.

I'm really impressed by the level of detail on that jacket and by the sound of the clothes generally. He really does seem to have put a lot of work into it, which he didn't need to do. He could have sent out a load of shiny knock-offs and they'd have still flown out of the shops but it looks as if he's taken the job seriously and I like him for that.

Yes, the quality and level of detail is really what made me buy into it. There's been colabs in the past where the designers half assed it in my opinion. Stella McCartney in particular was odd, she released ten pieces from her own archives that she was most known for which felt a bit lazy and a bit of a stab in the back to her own customers who shelled out her prices for it. I didn't like anything from the Alexander Wang very athleisure based collection but really admired the amount of work he put into it to make a collection not like any of his own work but something that suited the younger H&M demographic and as a result was very popular among them.

To my memory the last colab that put in this amount of work in getting the quality up and the level of design realised at such a high level were Viktor & Rolf. I remember they did a lot of interviews at the time saying how much they enjoyed the process as they were actually able to get more premium fabrics through the H&M machine then they themselves as a smaller label ever could get close to becoming cost effective. I have the trench from that collection and it still looks brand new and despite the bold design it hasn't dated either. Its a bit too big now but I'm going to have it altered even though itlls be costly and complicated but I just can't find myself parting with it. Think that colab must have been at least ten years ago.

There was still a bit in my shop, a few dresses, accessories, shoes, and coats. Limited sizing of course.

Shop, they should be delivering your scarf here today or tomorrow, I could easily swing by the shop before closing time if you wanted something else specifically but can't find it.

Lately the only collaborations, apart from this one, that I've followed closely have been for Uniqlo. I've really liked the last couple of Christophe Lemaire ranges. I also like it that Uniqlo don't always go for celebrity names, in fact sometimes I've never heard of them so it's interesting to see their stuff plus you don't get the same feeding frenzy. Plus I tend to think that lesser known designers have more to prove so take the whole thing more seriously. However Erdem has just proved me wrong on that one so good for him!

Yes, the Christophe Lemaire ranges are fab, in fact it's the only stuff besides the workout wear that I like at Uniqlo. I was disappointed by the fabrics used in the J.W. Anderson collection though. That's the collection I had actually expected to buy quite a bit from and then got nothing, with the Erdem collection it was the opposite. I think he is a bit more of a known designer in the UK but outside of fashion circles otherwise unknown. I Iiked that they went uncompromising with the Maison Margiela collection a few years back. It was totally bonkers conceptual stuff, despite those pieces not selling out as quickly as a result they are actually becoming collectors items. The Centraal Museum in Utrecht (who have a huge fashion archive) has started putting out public ads to get their hands on some of the pieces, the duvet jacket in particular. I bought the boots with the perspex heels from that collection, also really impressive quality as they're still going strong and without fail random strangers on the street will come and admire them.

I can't stand the celebrity colabs though, or celebrities then daring to call themselves designers or even artists on the back of those colabs. Picking out a few pieces from a few already edited down design proposals made by, you know people who actually are trained and/or working as designers for years, does not a designer make. It's a pure profit scheme and makes me want to never spend money with those companies ever again.

So I went to H&M at lunchtime, not much there, apparently anything being returned is being snapped up straight away. They had a lot of socks, a couple of scarfs, and then random items in very small sizes and mostly men’s jackets, all covered in fluff and looking messy and neglected....

I thought this collection was pretty good quality wise. I’ve looked at most of them, but not all as I have become less interested in standing in the cold waiting as I’ve got older and have kids to consider.
I actually liked some of the Stella McCartney range, I got a denim jacket I wore for years and still have - doesn’t fit me anymore sadly!

I bought quite a few things from the Victor and Rolf collection, but they didn’t last as well.

Got a thick black wool jacket from the Alexander Wang range, that was really excellent quality and I’ll wear it this year.

I thought Kenzo last year was disappointing, I bought a top, but it’s pretty memorable so I haven’t worn it much.

I like that this collection is really wearable, good quality and ok price wise - although actually they had the floral boots in H&M just now...am I mad not to have bought them?!

I've been raving about the Christophe Lemaire collections to anyone who'll listen. Just this minute snaffled the dolman sleeved sweater that I'd been stalking since it sold out on the first day so I'm very happy, although my credit card isn't. It's probably just as well I didn't get a look in with Erdem!

I don't even remember some of the collabs you've mentioned, that's how disillusioned I've become with them. I agree it must be so galling to anyone working in the industry when some celeb decides to play at being a designer.

That was originally to Botemp but you too Shopgirl Did they have any of those men's tweed coats coming back as returns?

I didn’t see tweed there, it was mostly coats and jumpers.

I've been raving about CL to anyone who will listen before he even got to the Uniqlo colab, but I think he's found a very natural home there with his love of reinventing simple everyday fabrics at a much more accessible price point.

The only thing that annoys me about the CL collections, they do incidental drops, so a few days ago a lot of new things got added including new designs but they didn't advertise it all, I don't visit Uniqlo that often as it requires travel but there also always seems to be quite a bit left in stores.

I really liked the floral Erdem boots, I can so imagine someone having loads of fun with those with black opaques in winter under skirts or dresses and in summer under denim skirts, folded up boyfriend jeans, or even a pinafore/dungaree dress. Just not me, I look terrible in combat boots but I love the idea of them on other people.

Thanks!

The thanks was to Shopgirl I'll read your post now, Botemp - I can't keep up!

Yes the CL collection has been drifting back. I was at work when they launched it and everything I wanted sold out but I've managed to pick up a few things through obsessively checking. The latest 'Holiday Collection' launch was strangely low key but there wasn't that much CL - they restocked the sparkly jumpers which had all sold out (grabbed one this time - very nice) and the rest was some satin stuff which isn't really my thing.

Not really a satin fan either but am strangely intrigued by the sleeveless satin dress which I usually loathe because what is the point of sleeveless anything in winter but I kind of like the strong linear seem in the middle. Something a bit nineties about it that has me wondering. I'll actually be heading towards a city with a Uniqlo in it over the weekend so will be keeping my fingers crossed they have it in store so I can have a proper look at it.

My sleeveless days are well behind me but there was a time I'd have snapped up that dress in a heartbeat. It reminds me of Ghost in their prime but more modern.

I went back for the boots - last pair and they were my size, it was meant to be!

Hurray!