Erdem and Arizona

"Hopefully, I create something that makes you feel like your most beautiful self."

[Ed. Note: Erdem Moralioglu is a Canadian designer living in England. His detailed and chic designs won him the inaugural British Fashion Council/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund award in 2010. Kate Middleton favors his designs, as do actresses like Michelle Williams, Elizabeth Olsen, and Keira Knightly. Erdem will be accompanied by Arizona Muse, a celebrated American model at NEXT and mother, at this year's Met Ball.]

“The subject of this year’s Met Ball is so exciting. I love Schiaparelli and I think the idea of having a conversation between Miuccia Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli is extraordinary – incredibly strong women with incredibly strong, insisting visions.

I took Arizona Muse to the Met Ball. It was lovely to work with her. The results are coming transatlantic from my studio in London. We sent her a sketch, and then we took it from there. I had wanted to base it on a dress I had done from Fall/Winter and turn it into something more like a 1930s gown – very long and very, very, very chic. … It’s a blue gown with lace melted on a silk/crepe print, which is unusual for an evening dress look. The thing I like about lace is that it’s an evocative feature. … And she wore these amazing Nicholas Kirkwood shoes that are surreal. They have a black heel, but it’s mounted on perspex so the heel looks like it’s floating. They look kind of trompe l’oeil.

Arizona has a strong idea of what she likes and what she doesn’t. It was great to work with a beautiful woman who has such a strong sense of self. I wanted her to feel comfortable and confident, so I added little details like a side pocket, for when she’s standing there getting her photo taken. It’s practical and chic – standing in an evening gown with your hands in your pockets, [especially] … with the back silhouette. … Even when you wear a glamorous gown you want it to appear effortless, like you’ve always owned it. … I think women should think about clothes in a more personal way, and I think confidence and individuality defines a beautiful woman today. Hopefully, I create something that makes you feel like your most beautiful self." -- Erdem Moralioglu to Shop Ghost

Arizona Muse photographed at the Met Ball in New York by Cara Stricker.