A Novel Approach
Erdem Moralioglu, the London-based designer of evocative, romantic dresses, is a major bookworm, so we got his reading list.
By Britt Burritt
Erdem collections are not just intricately wrought with details like ribbons, brocade and capes, but also carefully researched. An avid reader and book collector, Turkish-Canadian designer Erdem Moralioglu usually immerses himself in a topic or combs troves of historic documents to inspire his nostalgic creations. His love of literature is so immense, that he's amassed quite a personal library of books himself. "I had to hire a professional librarian to catalogue them," he says.
For Pre-Spring 2019 (now at Nordstrom), he looked to photographers and artists in books and in his own art collection. "I was inspired by visual images by Diane Arbus, William Eggleston and Kaye Donachie," he tells us. The result is a stunning collection with heady florals and bookish cardigans.
What book are you reading now and what page are you on?
Never Anyone But You by Rupert Thomson, page 217
How many books do you read in a year, on average?
About 20
Do you prefer physical or electronic books?
Physical books
Where is your preferred place to read?
In bed
What book did you love as a child?
Tintin or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
What is your favorite novel?
Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote
Is there an art book you love to look through?
Goodbye Picasso by David Douglas Duncan
What fashion book is an essential?
Evidence by Richard Avedon
If you wrote a memoir, what would it be called?
Keep Your Eyes Open
What five books do you consider required reading?
The Collected Plays of Tennessee of Williams
Allure by Diana Vreeland
At Your Own Risk: A Saint’s Testament by Derek Jarman
The Swimming-Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst
Where Angels Fear to Tread by E. M. Forster
