Erdem Celebrates Pride with a Cocktail Soiree at the New Sloane Street Store
All Photos by Dave Bennett
As part of Pride Month, British fashion designer Erdem Moralıoğlu hosted an intimate cocktail reception at the ERDEM flagship store on Sloane Street to celebrate the launch of a limited-edition T-shirt supporting three LGBTQIA+ charities: akt, Not A Phase and Terrence Higgins Trust.
The T-shirt features artwork by the late British artist, filmmaker and activist Derek Jarman, one of the most influential cultural figures of the twentieth century. Working across film, painting, writing, theatre, gardening and political activism, Jarman's multidisciplinary practice continues to inspire generations of artists and creatives.
The featured artwork is drawn from Bliss, a zine created by Jarman and named after the original title of Blue, his final and most personal film. Created during the last years of his life while living with AIDS, the work reflects a period in which his eyesight became increasingly impaired. Jarman famously described experiencing a "haze of blue" across his vision, a condition that ultimately informed one of the most powerful works in British cinema.
To mark the launch, Erdem photographed British actor Russell Tovey wearing the T-shirt, creating a contemporary portrait that celebrates Jarman's enduring influence on British art, fashion and queer culture.
All profits from the sale of the T-shirt will be donated equally to akt, Not A Phase and Terrence Higgins Trust, organisations working to support LGBTQIA+ communities across the UK.
Guests attending the launch included actors Kadiff Kirwan, Marisa Tomei, Ambika Mod and Omari Douglas, alongside writer and activist Munroe Bergdorf, restaurateur Ruthie Rogers, costume designer Sandy Powell, Hamish Bowles, Edward Watson, William Bracewell, Princess Julia and Hannah Jones.
The collaboration reflects ERDEM's ongoing interest in storytelling, cultural heritage and the individuals whose creative legacies continue to shape contemporary British culture.
