Backstage at catwalk shows and in meetings with potential investors, people keep asking Peter Doe questions about the Metaverse. But virtual fashion bores her 31-year-old Vietnamese-American designer. “You don’t have to make clothes to sell them,” he says, recalling a frustrating conversation. “Then why do you need me?”
Do is trained in tailoring and is known for his sharp yet listless suits from his eponymous brand. For him, every step of creating fashion is an important hands-on process. “Nobody sees all the effort behind it,” he says. “Dialogue, working with people, going to factories, preserving crafts…all of them are important to me.”
Cotton padded coat $1,950, leather harness bag $3,300
We’re talking one summer morning in his converted warehouse studio in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood. Do sits at a workbench covered in fabric swatches and sketches. He doesn’t wear the trademark black mask he wears in photos or at public events. and the habit became established. Despite the implications of such statements, Do has a youthful and warm demeanor. he laughs easily
Since launching the label in 2018, Do has earned a reputation for oversized silhouettes and sexy details. Do’s first runway show, staged as part of his week at New York Fashion in September 2021, has captivated traditional critics and social commentators on his media, with his follow-up in February 2022. has become one of his must-see shows in New York. On his next show this month, Do will debut one of his most ambitious projects. His first menswear collection will be presented alongside his latest womenswear collection.
“A wardrobe is really something to share,” says Do © Francesca Beltran
Dou in a wool blend boyfriend coat, $2,900 © Francesca Beltran
Designers of all genders are already buying Peter Do coats, knits and handbags. We’ve reimagined some of the core pieces such as the to accommodate wider shoulders and narrower hips. He’s also unveiling new unisex shapes, including his cashmere wool hoody and adjustable pleat his quilt. As a result, a wider range of body types will be able to wear the brand. “A wardrobe is really something to share,” he says.
Wool mix boyfriend coat, $2,900
Wool mix deconstructed waistband trousers $1,230
Wool mix deconstructed waistband skirt $1,390
Leather Everyday Boots, $1,495
Do loves subverting gendered expectations of clothing, including often unbuttoned blazers. Traditionally, men’s and women’s jackets are buttoned on opposite sides. “It’s ridiculous that people constrain this garment in a certain way.”
Do’s path to the heart of luxury fashion was an unlikely one. Born in the suburbs of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, he moved to Philadelphia when he was 14. He transferred to New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology and won an award from luxury conglomerate LVMH for his 2014 graduate collection (including a translucent tailored cocoon coat). The award included a one-year contract to work in any house he chose. “It was Celine or something,” says Daw. Phoebe Philo, the Maison’s influential creative director at the time, was the only clothing designer with whom he had connections.
A few months later he was living in Europe, bouncing back and forth between the Celine offices in London and Paris. Despite being tasked with designing dresses, his least favorite category, Dohis was transformed by the experience. “With the people who made the clothes, [people like] me the designer. ”
Do stayed with Céline until 2016, working for Derek Lam in New York before deciding to launch his own line. He resolved to build his own start-up his brand, eliminating the rigid hierarchy that governs luxury fashion. Instead, he and his four co-founders established a collective that evolved into more defined roles over time. The co-founders meet regularly to discuss “the identity and vision of the brand and how we all see it,” says CEO Vincent Ho of his. “There are many other brands. [as they grow] People forget where they started and where they are going. We are all so different that we can keep each other tight. “
Dou in a white reversible duster coat, $3,100 © Francesca Beltran
Initially, Do was advised by people in the industry to cheapen the product. Maison He remembers that when Margiela sold blazers for less, few believed that a “random kid” could convince customers to spend $2,800 on blazers. He recognized that much of women’s fashion was designed to be less functional and disposable than men’s clothing. He hoped to “rewire people to appreciate rings.” I have come to evaluate.
He also offers quality and clever features that attract luxury shoppers. One of his samples he pulled out to show me is a trench coat of his with two features. One side is polished (clean and lined with waterproof tape) and the other side is weathered (resin dye effect). “Fashion is always changing,” says Do. “If clothing allows for adjustment and adaptation, there is no need to constantly look for something new.” Similarly, his clothing is devoid of logos, but many of his pieces feature neck-to-wrist line motifs. Those who know it know that it’s iconic and a replica of the designer’s own signature tattoo.
Peter Do’s AW22 Collection Looks (2)
“His stern eye for extraordinary tailoring means that his pieces are both deceptive in their simplicity and have a certain ‘cool’ element,” Bergdorf Goodman chief said. “The New York department store will begin selling Peter Do in 2020, and will launch its first men’s and unisex lines in spring 2023,” says merchant Shin Yumi.
In the world of hoodies and sweatpants, selling three-piece suits remains a niche business. Yet Do’s sales are constantly doubling every year, and they want to keep improving the quality of the label and expanding its reach. He admits that he would like to have a more stable operation. “After the show is over, I go straight to how we’re going to produce it, how we’re going to pay people, how we’re going to scale it,” he says. To this day, the brand is funded by friends and family. Du and his co-founders are “constantly discussing next steps,” including external investments.
“[Sometimes] When I meet people, they both speak English, but I feel like I’m speaking another language,” says Do. “You might say, ‘Oh yeah, I want to build an atelier.’ And they’re going to be like, ‘Data, data, data.'”
Meanwhile, Do has his eyes on his runway show. We continue to adjust and are happy with the end result. It contrasts with another of his designs, a dramatic Alexander McQueen-inspired gown. [shirt] It took 5 years.and that [shirt] Gowns are for the 1%, but gowns are for everyone,” he says. “The question is, which is luxury?” To Do, the answer is clear.