New York Fashion Week Needed Peter Do
Fashion

New York Fashion Week Needed Peter Do

Story by Mario Abad / Photography by Hatnim Lee

It's been a while since fashion people felt really excited about a new designer on the block. Peter Do has several seasons under his belt already, but he's only shown via lookbooks and Instagram. So the fact that his runway debut was all anyone could talk about when the NYFW schedule was released is a testament to the fanbase and community he's been able to cultivate over the years without splashy shows or marketing.

That anticipation and excitement carried over to the show itself, with hundreds of guests arranged in a single circular row with a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline in the backdrop. Do's decision to show on the Brooklyn waterfront was was a nod to "the point of arrival from our parents, or the people who came before us," he told The Cut. (His family immigrated there from Vietnam.)

While Do's sharp clothes and sleek tailoring always translated effortlessly in lookbooks, seeing them glide on a runway was an equally stimulating experience. The knife pleats on a skirt, the giant hobo bags, the glass textures on dresses reflecting the sun's rays — they were all ingredients that made for a stellar debut but also the start of undoubtedly more big things to come for the reclusive designer, who for the longest time did not like to show his face in pictures but now is slowly embracing the spotlight.

His staff all came out at the end of the finale, rather than just him solo, signaling his teamwork approach to building and creating the brand in his own image. The Phoebe Philo protege arrived just in time for when New York really needed someone promising to root and cheer for after more than a year of stagnation and uncertainty. But now, as they say, the future looks bright.

Photography: Hatnim Lee