By Erin Moonyeen Haley
Once upon a time, CHOCHENG told an interviewer:
“Chanel and Armani are two of my greatest inspirations. They are both revolutionary tailors who have invented their own cut. Tailoring is my passion and I've been developing my own signature cut in the past decade. My signature cut is rooted in traditional Savile Row tailoring, but softer, more feminine and completely natural."
As New York Fashion Week came to a close, not only was it evident that CHOCHENG's artistry has an unrivaled feminine touch, but it was equally apparent that she crafts with the same sophisticated aesthetic as the icons who introduced the little black dress and the women’s suit (Chanel), and the ready-to-wear elegantly beaded dress (Armani). What was also axiomatic was her training and tutelage on British Savile Row. (After, of course, she studied fashion and costume design at the esteemed Parsons School of Design).
An environmentalist as well as a couturier, CHOCHENG's garments have no commercial iron-on interfacing or machine finishings. Everything is hand sewn and hand-embroidered, with decorative silks and other natural materials being used exclusively.
For the Autumn/Winter 2023 show, such behind-the-scenes labors of love laid the groundwork for an urbane ambiance that both thrilled and captivated the audience with a sense that the whole world was polished, posh and flawless as pearl. The clothes played to a love of all things vintage and dynamic, but in a way that was subtle and understated. Outwardly hallmarks of the CHOCHENG's attentiveness included faux-fur details, classic lines and sleek silhouettes. Undercurrent details - such as the fact that the basting, stiffening and interfacing were all done by hand - could be sensed in the way that the clothing moved. The tailoring also saw a spectrum of blacks and whites, plummy purples and merlot reds, royal pigmentations that serviced the refinement of the couture.
Asian conical hats and elbow-length gloves were the accessories of choice, with long black skirts and minimal black tops providing the basis for many looks.
...Of course, some black ensembles were punctuated with the softness of velvet scarlet pencil skirts.
Button-up jackets were dolled up with satin lavallière bows at the neck, while pants and A-line skirts broke from the black monochrome scheme in shades of lapis lazuli.
Hair was kept coiffed and sleek while Chanel-esq jackets also appeared in blushing hues of pink.
Evening wear included the nuanced touches of gloves and bows, while long skirts flared out as if tango-inspired.
The classic looks were an ode to antiquity thanks to white and cream dresses that draped or cinched at the neck, letting fabric pleat in ideal mimicry of Hellenistic sculpture.
~ Images Courtesy of Vogue