Yesterday,Erdem Moralioglucould be found poring over a vitrine deep in the east wing ofChatsworth House.
And as a final flourish, a red satin evening bag with Elvis picked out in diamante.
Erdem is the first researcher to be allowed into Debos archive since her death in 2014.
Photo: India Hobson/ Courtesy of Erdem
Her friendships ran from farmers to fashion designers.
Debo loved clothes and creativity, says Laura.
When Erdem raised the idea of an exhibition, I instinctively just wasnt sure my parents-in-law would want it.
Photo: India Hobson
But Amanda (the Duchess of Devonshire) is an Erdem customer.
She immediately said, what a great idea.
Im really not sure theyd do it for anyone else.
Photo: India Hobson
I think that thing, he says, was the curtains, the fabric she physically lived with.
Id never made something that had actually belonged to the person that the collection was based on.
To have that openness and trust from the family was amazing.
Photo: India Hobson
Erdems forensic interest in character-based historical research had sparked conversations between the two of them for ages.
His re-interpreting wit comes into play.
A brown tweed suit has a matching pencil skirt which gives the impression of chicly unraveling.
Photo: India Hobson
Her husband would give her one every birthday, Erdem relates.
You always see these fashion exhibitions which are about the beautiful end result.
Its about how he pulls this inspirationshowing visitors his processes of turning ideas into clothes.
Photo: India Hobson
It feels like a very nice, very relevant thing that this collection should be here, Laura reflects.
And now theyve come home.
We want to share the collections with people, here and beyond our shores, as Laura puts it.
Photo: India Hobson
It all sounds very much like Duchess Deborah herself.
It was she who set up the trusts to protect the collections in the first place.
She was a big personality.
Photo: India Hobson
Theres this legacy thats going on and on because of her.
Photo: India Hobson
