The House of Siren | The legacy of Gregory Derham | Cut and Copy

The height of fashion, in its most literal translation, is called haute couture. The French understand this term as a coveted title for clothing that surpasses the usual workmanship of pret-a-porter collections. For those who don’t understand the difference, the typical couture dress may require at least 300 hours of work.

It doesn’t take much for me to admit that I’m a lover of haute couture. After reading an article on HK Magazine, I was intrigued by their discovery of a recently opened production company that housed a couture costume collection under an intimate boudoir-like salon.

Named the House of Siren, this maison was founded by the late Gregory Derham, whose flamboyant alter-ego Siren was dear to those who had the pleasure of seeing him perform as a professional dancer.

Greg also had another special talent. Although he wasn’t offered the luxury of learning about fashion, his untrained eye had the talent of a master costumier. The costumes and elaborate headpieces housed under the House of Siren were all specially designed and handcrafted by him and his team of designers. It continues to amaze me how much he has amassed and the intricacy of each piece on display.

After Greg passed away in October 2012, the business was acquired by Eckhard Liebert who was later joined by award-winning designer and stylist Gillian Sharp and CharlotK. The House of Siren was relaunched to its former glory and the intimate Salon Rouge is now home to lavish cocktail parties and Greg’s legacy.

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