The brand was founded just a few months ago, but Peter Do’s discerning, unconventional womenswear has already amassed a dedicated following
- Who is it? Peter Do is a New York-based fashion brand creating womenswear for a modern age
- Why do I want it? Menswear-inspired silhouettes meet whimsical yet grown-up accessories for a thoroughly modern wardrobe
- Where can I find it? Online at peterdo.net, and coming soon to selected retailers worldwide
Who is it? Peter Do was the inaugural young designer to win the LVMH Prize for graduates in 2014, upon finishing his BFA at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. His reward – besides a cash sum of €10,000 – was a contract with Céline, where he worked under Phoebe Philo for two years. After a stint at the French fashion house he moved to Derek Lam for a further 18 months before founding his namesake label in December 2017. “I wanted to have control over my own work and there were a lot of restrictions working at fashion houses,” explains Do. “I had a lot to say and I never felt that I was able to fully articulate it.”
Despite the fact the brand has only been up and running for a short while, the team has already grown to six collaborative members, including Vincent Ho, who worked with Do at Céline on the sales team. “I have known Peter for six years and he is the type of person who would wear an outrageous coat just to go and do his grocery shopping,” laughs Ho. “I think that this is reflected in his brand, it comes from a very personal point of view – he really lives through his work. I think it resonates strongly throughout all of our e-commerce and our ready-to-wear collection as well.”
Why do I want it? Do has amassed quite a following on his personal Instagram, @doxpeter, which demonstrates his aesthetic prowess – both ultra-modern and whimsical – with aplomb. Such a strong identity is inherent in the brand identity, too, which is instantly recognisable – the first campaign story stars model Maggie Maurer, a friend and muse, and a clue as to the kind of unconventional and discerning woman the designer wishes to dress.
“The woman I am speaking to is not your typical fashion follower,” explains Do. “Glamour doesn’t interest her in a conventional way – she’s defining a new kind of glamour.” The first product launch does just that, through a series of meticulously curated small objects and accessories available to purchase online. This includes functional heart locket earrings (they are remade in rhodium from a vintage design that Do discovered at a flea market), sheer knee-high socks and humongous fox-fur bags in shades of coral and candy floss pink.
Peter Do is not about style over substance, however, and Do’s design background dictates that the craft of making clothes remain key to all that he does. “There’s always an element of menswear in my design because I just like the timeless element to menswear – and I like the construction of men’s tailoring,” says Do. “A lot of women’s clothing is not made to last a long time, whereas men’s suiting is.” Further demonstrating Do’s desire for longevity, is the longterm plan is to present his work on the runways of Paris. “We are showing the full ready-to-wear collection in June 2018 for the S/S19 season – this will be at a showroom in Paris. But ultimately, I want to be on the show schedule. I feel so connected to Paris and it’s like a second home – it only makes sense to take Peter Do over there.”
Where can I find it? The capsule collection of objects and accessories is available to buy online at peterdo.net, with the ready-to-wear collection available to purchase at selected retailers from November 2018.