When Peter Dundas completed his studies at Parsons School of Design in New York in 1992 the Norwegian designer uprooted his life and moved to Paris to cut his teeth under prolific designer Jean Paul Gaultier, which solidified his love affair with the city. The French capital still has a special place in his heart, so much so that after a four-year runway hiatus, it was in Paris that LA-based Dundas chose to unveil his AW23 line titled ‘The Woman And The Sea’. ‘Returning to the Parisian runway after a pause feels like riding a bicycle again for the first time in a while,’ he says, excitement palpable via Zoom. ‘It feels like a homecoming of sorts.’
The Dundas woman is the epitome of glamour, poise and grace and his ready-to-wear has been worn by some of most prolific figures on the step-and-repeat – Beyoncé, Emily Ratajkowski and Jodie Turner-Smith are just a few. With the help of his ‘collaborators’ (the term he affectionately gave to his internal team), for AW Dundas chose to slightly shift his approach. An extension of the pre-fall collection, which featured demure, inky-black body suits offset by a vintage Korean camouflage print alongside floor-sweeping gowns, the new-season garments are similarly seductive and sensual.
The show was staged at the Opéra National de Paris, a setting brimming with flair and drama. One-shoulder bodysuits have been paired with muted, immaculately cut trousers, peacoats compliment velvet trousers and roll necks. ‘There’s more elevation and tailoring this season,’ he says. As a father of two, the root of his collection is inspired by familial bonds, he adds. ‘I began looking at family photos of my father who was in the Navy, and of my aunt, who was one of the first female telegraphists in the world and looked back fondly on the argyle jumpers my grandmother would make when I was growing up. When you have kids, you start to think about your heritage more,’ he says. ‘For me, my Nordic heritage is very important to me because my parents sadly passed away when I was younger.’
Read Next
Incorporating refined tailoring became a strong theme throughout the collection. ‘The tailoring aspect became a stronger part of the collection as time went on – it's something that is second nature to me. People may not realise this, but each season starts with me sketching the jacket I want to include in that specific collection.’
Fashion devotees will be pleased to know this isn’t a complete departure from Dundas’s signature figure-hugging, cut-out dresses. Cowl neck dresses festooned in crystals sit alongside sublime crochet gossamer pieces and show-stopping asymmetrical numbers with key-hole detailing. ‘There’s a saying which loosely translates to “You're faithful to your loves”, and I am. I don't think those silhouettes will ever completely dissapear.’
Dundas’s return to the Paris runway signals a new era for the brand. The launch of its beauty line coincided with the return to runway this week; it is also fast becoming one of the leading labels merging fashion and technology, having taken part in the Metaverse fashion week, something that will be happening again in the coming weeks. ‘We're definitely making big leaps ahead on what we did the last time,’ Dundas says. ‘It's a really inspiring medium for me.’ Most notably, next month, select Dundas couture pieces will be displayed at the Crown to Couture exhibition at Kensington Palace. As for what garments will be on show? The designer remains mostly tight-lipped and will only shares a one-word clue: ‘Beyonce.' I’m super, super excited about it!’ May the Dundas world domination continue.
