Central Saint Martins student Neil Zhao, the designer behind emerging label Chöke, proved that a strong point of view doesn’t need a spectacle to make an impact. This season, Zhao invited guests into his Parisian flat to debut Chöke’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection—a quiet yet conceptually charged exploration of function, identity, and irony.
“The collection is primarily inspired by growing up in Norway and the mindset of wearing clothes there,” Zhao explained. “The weather is very harsh, so there’s a lot of technical gear being worn. When you wear something technical, people presume you’re a practical person—that you like function. Essentially, it’s the opposite of what lots of people who are into fashion wear.”
The references are all there, but their practical origins have been turned on their head. A lightweight organza jacket mimicked the silhouette of a puffer, replacing warmth with transparency. Jackets emblazoned with Norwegian traffic signs, laser-cut over reflective materials, merged safety with satire. Detachable zips, borrowed from ski trousers designed to keep snow out, appeared on denim shorts, while the poppers of a varsity jacket became delightfully redundant, undermined by a hidden zip beneath. Arrow symbols appeared throughout the collection, which Zhao describes as “one of the purest forms of function and direction,” transforming a utilitarian graphic into a motif of intent and irony.
Through these playful inversions, Chöke examines how function and self-expression intersect. Zhao’s garments question whether practicality can be a style statement, and whether irony can still feel authentic.
By staging the collection within his own home, Zhao reinforced Chöke’s ethos: grounded, self-aware, and quietly subversive. The presentation struck a balance between ease and precision, revealing a designer confident enough to let his clothes speak without embellishment.
Amid the noise of fashion week, Chöke’s calm conviction cut through, proving that clarity can be just as compelling as grandeur.
