Eudon Choi returned to the London Fashion Week catwalk for the first time in two years with a brilliant masterclass in minimal tailoring and tonal layering that London has been missing.
“I have been pushing myself for the last 3 months for this come back because it can be quite stressful, but it definitely gives the right pressure and drive for me and the team to create a collection we are proud of,” Choi told FashionUnited. “We also had this sense of hope that everything will be back to normal again, and finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel – we were really excited to come back to the catwalk.”
Set against the unique backdrop of The Charterhouse, a former Carthusian monastery in London, Choi drew inspiration from Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni and his 1964 film ‘Red Desert,’ for his autumn/winter 2022 collection.
This produced a bold, unapologetic colour scheme, with red and orange hues sent down the catwalk alongside pops of blue and pink. A palette that offers the perfect anecdote to the dullness of autumn and winter and reflects Choi’s renewed sense of passion and excitement.
Eudon Choi returns to the catwalk for AW22 during London Fashion Week
That renewed optimism is seen throughout the collection, with Choi offering a thoughtfulness about the pieces, which redefine and strengthen his core DNA while also reimagining classic wardrobe styles. From elegant trench coats to tailored jackets, dresses with sophisticated cut-out detailing, shirts with intricate touches that redefined the waist and knitted vests that came with detachable necklines.
The last couple of years has affected Choi, with the designer saying that his team did everything they could “to survive” the pandemic while adapting to a new way of working remotely.
When it came to the design process for autumn/winter, Choi added: “This season was kind of crazy, with constant covid outbreaks, time was working against us, so we had to work hard to achieve what we had set out to.
“Also, we were returning to a catwalk show to present the collection after a few years break, so there was the added pressure of that! But we were all very excited to return to LFW with a catwalk show and I am just so grateful to my team who have all worked so hard. It has given me such joy to see everyone working together to produce something we are all so proud of.”
This season, the London-based South Korean designer also embraced a more sustainable direction with organic cotton, ethically sourced cashmere, eco-friendly viscose, recycled synthetic fibres and surplus fabrics to prove that sustainability can be high-end fashion.
Eudon Choi unveils handbag collaboration with Louis Quatorze
The show also debuted a handbag collaboration with Louis Quatorze, featuring sculptural and modern crossbody and tote bags in bright colours and neutral tones, which came about after Choi travelled to Korea last year for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Choi explained: “I had my first meeting with the Louis Quatorze team at the end of October, early November, and I have to say, the collaboration came up quite naturally. We liked each other’s work and had similar design ideas; the process started quite quickly.
“Although bags usually need a lot of time to develop, we wanted to make it happen for fashion week and we did. It is a great achievement for both sides and I am really happy with the outcome. It definitely brings further sculptural shape, modernity and strong narrative to the collection.”
