ERDEM’s Spring/Summer 2025 womenswear collection took an unexpected literary turn at London Fashion Week, drawing inspiration from one of the most famous—and controversial—novels in lesbian literature: Radclyffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness (1928).

The novel, often cited as a landmark work in LGBTQ+ history, tells the story of Stephen Gordon, a masculine lesbian, and her lover Mary. Though now celebrated for its early portrayal of queer love, the novel was banned shortly after its publication, sparking outrage and debate. 

For Erdem Moralıoğlu, this narrative was the perfect catalyst for a collection that explored both queer history and gender fluidity. The title page of The Well of Loneliness was emblazoned on canvas and sewn as badges of honour on the cuffs of every suit in the London Fashion Week show. A monocle—often associated with Hall’s masculine style—was pinned to each lapel, further deepening the homage.

Moralıoğlu was particularly fascinated by the contrast between Hall’s masculine identity (she was born Marguerite but went by the name John) and the femininity of her partner, Una, Lady Troubridge. This dynamic was reflected in the show’s fusion of masculine tailoring with delicate evening wear adorned in chandelier crystals, evoking the flapper dresses of the 1920s. The blend of hard and soft elements, much like the relationship between Hall and Troubridge, created a powerful visual metaphor for the fluidity of gender.

 

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Interestingly, the collection’s symbols of queer history didn’t stop with Hall. ERDEM’s evening gowns, decorated with floral motifs, mirrored another SS25 collection shown earlier that day by Simone Rocha. Her show at the Old Bailey also referenced gender fluidity, with men in pastel pinks and ballet shoes, alongside an abundance of carnations—a flower long associated with gay male identity, popularised by Oscar Wilde in 1892 as a covert signal of queerness.

The impact of The Well of Loneliness extends far beyond the literary world. Despite not being illegal, same-sex relationships between women were widely disapproved of in Britain. The 1921 Criminal Law Amendment Act even considered criminalising lesbianism, though it was ultimately dismissed, partly because lawmakers feared it would increase visibility and lead to greater acceptance.

Though derided by some, including Virginia Woolf who called it a “pale, tepid, vapid book,” The Well of Loneliness endured as a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history. Writers such as EM Forster and Vita Sackville-West rallied to its defence, ensuring its place in the queer canon.

For ERDEM, this novel provided a rich, complex narrative from which to draw, resulting in a collection that celebrated queer history, gender fluidity, and the ongoing struggle for visibility.