HAREM London SS21 Core range is minimal and un-dyed, made sustainably from organic fabrics upcycled from previous collections. The Suare range, inspired by traditional Turkish henna techniques, is dip-dyed by hand, allowing for natural variations and gradients of bright colours.
This signifies a departure for the brand that is reflected in the use of henna in Turkish culture: A mother applies henna to her daughter’s hands when she is married and leaves home, or to a boy’s little finger when he leaves for the army. And lastly, henna is used to adorn sheep that will be sacrificed in Anatolian custom. A moment of no return. An uncertain fate that can only be faced with courage.
2020 has been an uncertain year. The SS21 colours and their many gradients represent change, but they also represent resilience, joy, growth.
The palette is inspired by Ferzan Özpetek’s Harem Suare, a cinematic tale of self-discovery. The Turkish-Italian co-production unfolds in seductive colours reminiscent of Odalisque paintings — a European interpretation of an exoticised Ottoman world.
HAREM London embraces this clash of cultures and the lasting quest for true colour that emerges from it. The brand combines different worlds: London and Istanbul, East and West, heritage and future, belonging and searching. HAREM is about feeling comfortable with a global cross-cultural outlook and the brand expresses an experience of diverse identity with pieces that blend influences, fabrics and techniques.
