Miss Gee Collection Spring 2017 (미스지콜렉션)

Sophistication and determination at the Miss Gee Collection Spring 2017 show at Seoul Fashion Week. (photo by Ryan Bentley / Meniscus Magazine)

Wading through a seemingly endless parade of streetwear collections at Seoul Fashion Week can dull the senses. Sure, the South Korean capital may be home to some of the best, but those expecting a variety of haute couture, innovative takes on the hanbok, and the avant garde à la Comme des Garçons will have to venture to other fashion hubs.

The Miss Gee Collection may not push the envelope in any of those categories, but their runway show that capped off an, at times, monotonous Spring 2017 Seoul Fashion Week was a pleasant surprise. Preceded by an extended short film promoting the awkwardly-titled “HERA Seoulista” – a chic female Seoulite who embodies the reputation of the luxury skincare line – designer Gee Choon-hee presented a collection that was, thankfully, free of product placement and crammed with a variety of elegant outfits for women who aim to replace their K-pop idol threads with a bit of sophistication.

The further Gee reached ahead of safe, pretty pastels and solids, the more interesting her vision of a woman in Seoul circa 2017 became. Gingham prints for trench coats and swinging V-neck dresses, cinched with fat belts? Perfect for picnics and parties alike. Other visually engaging features included vertical stripes, floral motifs and – in some of the best pieces flaunting baggy asymmetry – large circular prints resembling gray stones. The Miss Gee Collection Spring 2017 woman is one who confidently favors Gangnam over Hongdae – and in this case that is very much a good thing.

Video: Miss Gee Collection Spring 2017 – Seoul Fashion Week
video by Yuan-Kwan Chan / Meniscus Magazine