He might be born in Korea but this designer is a Londoner at heart. Since launching his own label in 2009, Eudon Choi is going from strength to strength. Everyone wants a piece of one of the hardest working talents in fashion and the British fashion industry is thrilled to call him its own. It’s Eudon’s in-dept knowledge in tailoring techniques that enables him to create womenswear that blur the lines between masculine and feminine, creating a woman that is stronger than ever.
You have very clean and minimal aesthetic. Where does that come from?
I was a menswear designer back in Korea. When I came to London to study at the Royal College of Art I decided to do the MA in womenswear as I thought it would be more of a challenge. I use my menswear tailoring skills and rework them for a female form and this results in a clean structured look. I am also borderline OCD so I am sure that has something to do with it too!
Tell us about your creative process. Do you have any rituals?
I like to begin the day by taking my dog Barney for a long morning walk. It really helps me to focus and plan the day ahead. It’s the calm before the daily chaos!
Out of all the items you have ever created, do you have a favourite piece that you feel is best representative of your work?
It is really difficult to pick one piece as each collection has its own special journey. But I can say that one of my favourite collections was my debut LFW collection – AW12. It was called Terra Nova and is inspired by the last fateful Terra Nova expedition of Robert Falcon Scott, who is better known as Scott of the Antarctic. I became quite obsessed with him during my research. Jules Wright, the creative director of the Wapping Project, staged the show; the interpretation of the story and my collection was show stopping.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Work hard and believe in yourself.
What female figure in history would you have wanted to design for?
Diana Vreeland – I think she would have rocked the Eudon Choi look. I also quite like the idea of dressing Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West.
How do you want your clientele to feel when she puts on a Eudon Choi piece?
My pieces really come alive when they are worn. On the rail a coat or a dress can look quite plain and simple but when worn the cut and detailing quickly become apparent. I want woman to feel confident and sexy when they wear Eudon Choi but I also want them to be comfortable.
You initially trained in menswear, what made you switch and can we expect a Eudon Choi menswear line anytime soon?
You know I get asked that question quite a lot and I would love to do menswear at some stage in the future. But for now I am refining my womenswear collection. I am a young label and I want to take my time and do things right. So watch this space!
How would you describe your own personal style?
Subtle yet interesting.
Can you give us a hint to what your theme for AW15 will be?
I don’t want to give too much away but a short-lived architectural movement has inspired me.
The fabrics you use are incredibly luxurious and of high quality, where do your source them from?
I source fabrics mainly from Italy but also from here. The UK actually produces some great fabrics.
Seoul is transforming into one of the fashion capitals. Do you ever consider moving back? If not, what is that keeps you in London?
I love visiting Seoul, in fact I’m just back from a two-week trip. It is an incredibly inspiring city and has a great energy and vitality. But I love London and being a designer here is amazing. I consider myself a UK designer now, so I won’t be going back to Korea any time soon.
When Eudon is not designing, how does he spend his time?
Running a label is very hard work – 7 days a week hard. So when I do get time off I cherish it. I like nothing more than catching up with friends over a long dinner or escaping London for a weekend in Berlin, Barcelona or Marrakech.
Interview by Dena Tahmasebi
Photography by Andrea Vecchiato