The opening show to London Fashion Week took the name of 'Hysteria', a theme that extended outside of Somerset House's main tent too, thanks to the sideways rain that washed away the fast fame hopes of many a drenched street style poser. Once seated, a black-and-white photography projection of frenzied female fans from 1960s Brit pop culture greeted us with their high-pitched squeals. Was this set to be a counterculture Youthquake? As the lights came up, it was clear that Choi had smartly ducked any 'swinging' clichés, instead championing the Mod-era's silhouettes with a youthful modernity. Shaking things up, plaid peacoats and Prince of Wales-check capes were cut with a cool slouch, thanks to their rounded backs and double-breasted fastenings, just as the designer added a masculine edge to his shifts and baby doll dresses, by inserting fluted cotton collars. Choi's girl may have paid homage to the Sixties' most famous groupies, Anita Pallenberg and Marianne Faithfull, but her grey Mongolian shearling shrug, nonchalantly draped over crisp white shirting and later a plaid trench, was a sure mover and shaker, rather than a follower. So were the Korean designer's cropped cigarette pants, cut for the physique of a Rolling Stone, and finished with fringed, tri-colour Cuban heeled loafers - designed in collaboration with Joanne Stoker. Their colour-blocked hues reminiscent of Sixties interiors could have led Choi into muddy waters, but paired with A/W's man-style tailoring, they're sure to attract a fan base all of their own - if they can outsmart the crowd already waiting for his finale winter white onesie that is.
Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
