In this series, we celebrate a designer runway collection that we LOVE, and take a look at an up-and-coming designer that shares their design vision - kind of like a fashion family tree... This week's birds of a feather: Stella McCartney and new boy Eudon Choi.
Stella McCartney, Eudon Choi (L-R). Photos: Imaxtree, Eudon Choi
WHY? If you loved the easy-to-wear, sports influenced designs that Ms McCartney put on her runway for autumn/winter, you'll love the laidback minimalism of Choi's creations. True, both share a penchant for sombre palettes with flashes of tangerine, but it goes deeper.
McCartney's clean, linear cashmere coats, short swinging shifts with patch pockets and quilted jackets with detachable hoods provided a functional luxury that is also seen in Choi's designs. For autumn he experimented with sporty details and functional workwear details, balanced by clean lines and feminine silhouettes - just like Stella. But while Stella keeps things ladylike, we think Choi's take is just a little bit more gritty.
Stella McCartney, Eudon Choi (L-R). Photos: Imaxtree, Eudon Choi
TELL ME MORE: With just three collections under his belt, Choi is the name du jour to drop in fashionable circles - and if you don't believe us just look to the awards that have been showered on him already. Earlier this year the Korean designer won the Vauxhall Fashion Scout's Merit Award, as well as being one of six designers chosen by the British Fashion Council for its new Talent Launch Pad initiative. No wonder hopes for the Royal College of Art graduate are high...
Stella McCartney, Eudon Choi (L-R). Photos: Imaxtree, Eudon Choi
GOOD TO KNOW: Before taking he made the leap to start his own label, Choi was senior designer for Sienna and Savannah at Twenty8Twelve. And he started off training as a menswear designer - just like Stella, who began her career as a trainee at Edward Sexton on Savile Row. Coincidence? We think not.
WHERE TO BUY: Snap up Choi's creations online at Young British Designers and Luisa Via Roma