Like so many of us over the past year, Eudon Choi has spent much of his time under lockdown dreaming of exotic holidays. Last season, this propensity saw him whisk us away (in spirit, at least) to the south of Italy, with a breezy offering of linens in whites, dusky blues, and terra-cottas. For his pre-fall collection, his eye traveled further afield: to the foothills of the Himalayas, where Choi drew inspiration from the kaleidoscopic colors and intricate patterns of traditional Bhutanese textiles.
“It’s about daydreaming of getting away and being somewhere calm and serene,” said Choi. “After the lockdown, we all wanted to escape and be a nomad for a few months.” With his background in menswear, Choi’s calling card is his inventive use of tailoring, which these days, he seems to be enjoying the process of loosening up. There were a number of tabard-like blouses and jackets that felt appealingly protective with their variety of wraps, folds, and knots; meanwhile, a series of maxidresses in rich azure blues and floral prints inspired by Tibetan rugs offered a welcome whisper of something more decadent.
For all the whimsy of this imagined globe-trotting, Choi’s collection also felt firmly grounded in what his customer will be looking for come midyear, showcasing his innate ability to translate these more fantastical instincts into wearable clothes. “What our customer wants to wear is constantly changing and evolving right now, so we’ve mostly been thinking about comfort and a more relaxed silhouette,” Choi added.
Another way in which Choi’s approach has evolved is his tighter edits, a decision that he notes is partly a practical one. “The range is definitely more conscious and considered,” he explained. “I feel like every single piece now has to have a reason to stay.” Concision suits Choi, allowing his vision to feel sharper and decisive, even while channeling a more escapist spirit. The collection’s title of rewa—the Bhutanese word for “hope”—felt perfectly apt.
