A new Peter Do look for every day of the year. This is the designer’s concept for these photos. There are 351 ones, so he only has days left. It is worth noting that all 351 sets of clothes are assembled using 20 different parts on the left and right. “We spent two days playing with the team and trying out countless possibilities,” Do said from his Sunset Park studio. “It’s something that will be offered permanently every season, and a lot of it is something we’ve sold since day one.”
Despite three consecutive bigger fashion shows and industry buys – at 2022, Do was shortlisted for the Woolmark Prize and CFDA Designer of the Year, and Do missed New York Fashion Week in February. He declined to speak publicly about his absence at the time, and even now he’s hesitant to share details, but called the series a “nice reset.”
It could have been too much, too fast. The pressures of the runway can sometimes cause budding designers to stray from their fundamentals, not to mention drain resources, both financial and energizing. “It’s one of my favorite series,” Do said. “I have time to edit what I want to say. In a way, it feels like I’ve found my voice. It feels like me.”
His work for the Woolmark competition constitutes The basis of the lineup. It’s a compact set of essentials, many of which feature a contrasting stripe on the left arm that can be seen as a Peter Do signature. Two Loro Piana wool blazers were a great mix, one oversized, the other gigantic; a range of chunky ribbed knits in Zegna Baruffa yarn, including a dickey-bib that turned a crewneck into a turtleneck; Tunic trousers and a pleated, asymmetric skirt from season one; and a leather jacket he’s built into the brand from the start with his boss’s versatility—it zipped at the hem and turned into a wrap dress. He also designed a line of Japanese viscose pieces that are easy to put on and take off, at a lower price than the rest of the line.
What you can’t see: extra decorations, prints or anything else in the way of color. The black-and-white palette and emphasis on tailoring would appeal to the internet’s current focus on understated luxury, but Do rejects that label. “Now that we have this base set, I’m excited to go back and create new things.”
He says he may be back on the schedule in September, though New York or Paris are still TBD. Evidence of the collection being processed is pinned to a wooden board in his office. Another icon he will stick to: gender-neutral design. He suits every look, both men and women.
