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...