LFW Diary AW11: Eun Jeong

In the heart of the famed Covent Garden Piazza for the second season in a row, the 2008 Fashion Fringe Award winner, Eun Jeong held her AW11 showcase with breathtaking results. As we waited for the second showing to start late on Friday afternoon, guests were more than happy to examine our Kipling and Cosmetic á la Carte goody bags whilst absent-mindedly tapping our feet to a variety of delightful speakeasy tunes which really set the scene and gave me instant visions of the latter years of the hot new HBO drama Boardwalk Empire. It was a pleasure to see the talented and serenely beautiful Iraina Mancini (of former pop group Mancini fame), manning the decks, and as we went to school together it was lovely to catch up after the show and hear all about her hot new band and plans for 2011 – all I can say is watch this space!

As the lights dimmed and the show began, we were treated to an artful collision of Jeong's modern and timeless aesthetic, emphatically displaying the designer's love of her craft – evident in her intuitive fabric choices and refusal to stray from her signature draping. Taking 30's tailoring and embellishment as her inspiration, Jeong deftly discovered ways of resurrecting the classic minimal silhouette, which originally came to international prominence with stars of the silver screen such as Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford wearing minimalist fashion in Hollywood.

Iraina Mancini

With an emphasis on neck lines and sexy structured bodices, Jeong's garments embodied a sense of empowerment rarely seen in a designer so young. Beautifully crafted intricate airy pleating combined with an unexpected injection of colour in the form of striking Art Deco prints created a look just as relevant in the 30's as it is today, some 80 years later. Simply blocked base colours of nude, beige and black were cleverly mixed with vintage gold and cold grey shades to create an air of elegant and youthful femininity. Offering a variety of textures and an assortment of skirt lengths to rival any high spec prêt-a-porter collection, Jeong perfectly encapsulates the spirit of 30's tailoring with this bankruptcy inducing collection, appealing to the modern working woman.

A genuinely great show and an amazing collection, I loved the little details such as lace and embroidered underskirts, hip bustles and who could forget the beautiful linear print that featured on the invitation and heavily throughout the collection – most noticeably on printed colour pop silk scarves worn in the models’ hair. Accessorizing with super-skinny belts and an assortment of black knee-high boots from Dune, it was little touches such as vintage inspired leather driving gloves by Sermoneta that really offset Jeong's period designs. Soft curls by Lock On Ego added to the drama as did seductive and smoky eyes by Cosmetic á La Carte. All in all, an incredible display of staggering attention to detail and genuine raw talent making this one of my top three shows of the season.

LFW Diary SS11: A week in invitations

LFW SS11 Diary: Eun Jeong

Whilst I’ve clearly heard of Eun Jeong in connection with Fashion Fringe and have borrowed pieces for photoshoots previously, I’ve never seen or heard a peep from her at LFW, so on Friday I was pleased as punch to take time out to mosey up to Covent Garden to view her striking SS11 presentation. Situated way up on the 5th floor of Russell Chambers on the Piazza, the hike up several flights of stairs was well worth it – not of course forgetting the leg toning it provided.

Comma Portrait, Jeong’s SS11 offering, was awash with pastels: nude, rose, purple and lime green – reminding me of delicate and delicious Italian gelatos and sorbets. Black was also present in the form of more traditional eveningwear pieces, diluted and brought back to summer with the addition of white and nude jersey panelling and coloured digital print trimmings.

Split into three small rooms; there was an installation of static garments on mannequins; the main room where four models posed around all things wooden, from hand-carved wooden chairs perched on palettes to antique chests of drawers, apothecary tables and cabinets, footstools and ladders; and the final room which showed a short film on a loop and was entirely kitted out white, displaying the most intricate lace pieces and tailored jackets. Laid out like a mad dressing room, there were metres of lace strewn across the floor, with shoes in boxes, dressing screens and a television on a desk in the corner, much like any home, but with an interesting and serenely quirky twist.

What I loved most about both the presentation and the collection was the playfulness and originality in both the display and garments, utilising a wealth of fabrics from canvas and crinoline to jersey and silk; expertly draping, folding, pinning and cutting in what I would describe as unexpected places (think side panels and open collars and exposed waists).

By a mile, one of my favourite collections of the season so far, brimming with character, colour and most of all saleability – and of course for a magpie like me all of the vintage accessories and furnishings only helped it make me squeal with delight!