Erdem Moralioglu Reflected on Twenty Years in Fashion with Alina Cho at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Erdem Moralioğlu, Alina Cho

Despite towering piles of snow and frigid winds, New Yorkers made their way uptown this week to gather at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the latest installment of The Atelier with Alina Cho. This time around, the journalist was joined by Erdem Moralioglu—who was poised in a sharp navy outfit with crisp white sneakers for their candid chat inside the museum’s soaring Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium.

The London-based, Canadian-born designer ruminated on two decades leading his namesake label—as well as his career beginnings, love of history, and, like the rest of the world, recent discovery of the buzzy hockey series Heated Rivalry. “Alina and I had talked about possibly doing something with the Met years ago, and when this opportunity came up—in particular, in the context of the 20th anniversary—it felt really appropriate,” Moralioglu told Vogue. “I’ve known Alina for so many years, and I was so honored to be asked to do it.”

During the longtime friends’ discussion, Moralioglu reflected on how he got his start in fashion, including his childhood penchant for wearing specific colors, such as light yellow or royal blue, for extended periods of time. Recalling the first dress he ever designed, he described a blue strapless number created for his sister’s Barbie doll when he was seven-years-old.

The designer also shared memories from his time as a student at London’s Royal College of Art in the early 2000s, including a formative internship at Vivienne Westwood, where he spent copious hours learning about craftsmanship inside the late designer’s iconic archives. Reflecting on his label’s signatures and inspirations, he credited his lifelong fascination with art and history as his reliable reference pillars, elaborating on muses as far ranging as Queen Elizabeth II and George Sand to Hélène Smith.

Moralioglu also spoke excitedly about his recently released tome, Erdem. Published by Rizzoli, the book colorfully chronicles his twenty years in fashion with nonlinear pages of sketches, behind-the-scenes runway snapshots, and anecdotes from collaborators such as Karen Elson, Hamish Bowles, Dr. Maria Balshaw CBE, and Gabriela Karefa-Johnson. “I so enjoyed making the book,” he reflected. “I didn’t want it to be something that was chronological, but rather something that was more of a collection of ideas, so that maybe someone who doesn’t know who I am could pick it up and understand what’s happening in between my ears. It’s wonderful, it’s thrilling, and it’s so nice to have something that feels so personal.”

Looking ahead to the future, Moralioglu is keeping busy as he continues his duties as a trustee of the British Museum—as well as preparation for his Spring 2026 show in London next month. “There has been so many special moments that have meant the world to me. Everything from publishing the book, my first window in Barney’s and first cover of Vogue, being in the [Costume Institute] exhibitions,” Moralioglu concluded, musing on his career highlights. “There’s too many to say.”