For Erdem Spring 2027, Erdem Moralıoğlu turned to Barbette, the Texas-born aerialist and gender-bending performer who became a sensation in 1920s Paris. Born Vander Clyde Broadway in 1899, Barbette performed on the trapeze as a woman before revealing a masculine persona at the end of the act. His ability to move between identities fascinated the Parisian avant-garde and, in particular, Jean Cocteau, who wrote about him in 1926.
That idea of transformation became the collection’s central language. Presented in London at the Roundhouse in Camden, the show explored the tension between masculine structure and feminine ornament through tailoring, lingerie, feathers, crystals and fragmented silhouettes.
The opening looks established a sharp foundation: tuxedo jackets, Prince of Wales checks, grain de poudre and crisp white shirting. But conventional tailoring was quickly disrupted. Crystal bras, satin micro shorts, exposed skin and exaggerated proportions challenged the rigidity of those familiar forms. Jackets were cropped, coats shaped into hourglass frames and traditional pieces reconstructed into something less fixed.
One of the strongest visual motifs came through crystal-embellished tulle designed to resemble skeletal forms. Rather than hiding the body, these translucent surfaces seemed to trace and illuminate it. Elsewhere, cut-out bodysuits, pieced jacquards, printed satin and reconstructed dresses created silhouettes that looked intentionally incomplete, as though caught in the middle of transformation.
The collection became increasingly theatrical as it progressed. Floral jacquards, embroidered petals, crushed satin, sequins, panniers, bustles and shredded flounces brought movement to the runway. Ostrich feathers added another sense of suspension, reacting visibly to each step.
A collaboration with Barbour introduced forest-green waxed cotton into the mix, appearing in oversized outerwear that contrasted sharply with embellished shorts and delicate fabrics. Even utility dressing became part of the performance.
The palette evolved from black and charcoal into lemon, lime, blush, red, periwinkle and luminous ice blue. Eveningwear pushed the drama further through lace, crystal flowers, satin lingerie elements and sculptural silhouettes.
By the closing looks, black tuxedo tailoring returned alongside feathers, satin and embellishment, bringing the collection back to its original tension.
What makes Erdem Spring 2027 compelling is its refusal to define beauty through one fixed identity. Like Barbette’s performances, the clothes operate through movement, contradiction and illusion. Masculine and feminine codes remain in constant conversation, allowing the collection to exist in a state of elegant, deliberate uncertainty.
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