Designer Erdem Moralıoğlu channels the themes of identity and love in his Spring/Summer 2025 collection, inspired by Hall’s groundbreaking novel ‘The Well of Loneliness’.
Fashion designer Erdem Moralıoğlu has drawn significant inspiration from Radclyffe Hall’s seminal 1928 novel, The Well of Loneliness, for his Spring/Summer 2025 collection. The novel, which was banned shortly after its release, chronicles the life of Stephen Gordon, a woman living as a man, and her romantic relationship with Mary Llewellyn. Hall, an openly gay female author, poignantly depicted love between two women during a time when such relationships were largely denied or ignored by society.
Erdem’s collection explores the fluidity and interplay between masculine and feminine styles, evident from his first few looks. A notable piece was a double-breasted tailored blazer in navy pinstripe wool paired with pleated front trousers. This was soon followed by a contrastingly delicate slip dress with a flounced hem in spearmint tulle, embellished with cascading crystal strands. The collection also showcased masculine suits in shades like dusky pink and celery green. Men’s cardigans were innovatively styled over tea dresses, while dainty slips were paired with trousers, further challenging traditional gender norms in fashion.
Standout highlights included a camel wool spliced cardigan adorned with broken crystal embellishments, paired with a cropped poplin shirt and blush pink satin cami shorts. Another striking piece was a black voile and lace lingerie slip dress worn with a bralette and a blush pink lace slip skirt.
A particular scene in The Well of Loneliness where Stephen Gordon is fitted for a suit on Savile Row profoundly inspired Erdem. As an homage to this pivotal moment in the novel, Erdem collaborated with renowned Savile Row tailors Edward Sexton to handcraft several bespoke pieces for the collection.
The show notes eloquently underscored the thematic inspiration behind the collection: “How we choose to identify and who we choose to love are questions we have been asking ourselves since the dawn of humanity. We stand on the shoulders of figures such as Hall to be able to respond today that beauty and power lie not in conforming to social constructs, but in celebrating individual self-expression.”
The Well of Loneliness has long been recognised as an important queer work of literature, advocating for self-expression, discovery, and love. Erdem’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection stands as a testament to these enduring themes, paying tribute to Hall’s significant cultural and literary impact.
