General Idea Fall 2010 Collection

Bumsuk Choi’s Fall 2010 Collection for General Idea delivered some exquisitely tailored, classic pieces with just enough edge (think destroyed jeans, black leather, and fishnet knits) to keep its young, modern clientele satisfied.

While the show got off to a, well, rather dark and monotonous start – about 11 black or mostly black looks – it picked up as Choi threw in bursts of color and pattern.

Choi’s most successful pieces were the transitional looks –  the ones that meshed distressed jeans with a preppy pattern or paired destroyed knits with a blazer.  The collection even evoked some trendy, layered staples from womenswear – black turtlenecks, over-sized cobweb knits, Scandinavian-looking patterns, leggings with shorts,  and a little bit of Balmain with a band jacket and bleached and battered patterns.

The stars of the show were Choi’s exquisitely constructed outerwear pieces. Our favorite would have to be the royal blue (we love black as much as the next person, but it was great to see color) hoodie/jacket hybrid – featured left center – with its fabulous fur collar and brilliant asymmetrical detailing in the front. The perfect mix of hip, casual streetwear and structured, luxurious material.

There was, we have to say, the occasional flop – a few materials that looked, frankly, cheap and a couple glittery jackets that felt out of step with the collection as a whole. But at its best, the collection perfectly and subtly balanced textures, patterns, and materials – managing to be edgy and classic at the same time.