Photo credit: Luc Braquet
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PETER DUNDAS
Norwegian by birth, American by schooling and utterly Mediterranean at heart, this rocket of charisma is a star shining brightly on the constellation of fashion: His one-of-a-kind creations have offered him a strong following of A-list celebrities that obsessively adore his shapes and prints: Beyonce, Giovanna Battaglia, Poppy Delevingne, Eugenie Niarchos, Bianca Brandolini, are just some of «his girls», as he calls them, sharing with him the same passion for life, creation, and perfection.
His incredible talent has already skyrocketed his personal label that he launched together with his partner in life and business, Mr. Evangelo Bousis, through his traveling flagship concept: An original idea that debuted in Los Angeles only a few months ago and is already taking the sartorial world by storm. Next stop will be Luisa Beach at Nammos Village, where from Thursday the 26th until Tuesday the 31st of July, the boutique will host his S/S 18 collection, brilliantly named D2. On the occasion of this sensational collaboration, we had a chat with this self-proclaimed dreamer who sees fashion as seasonless, therefore timeless.
Mr. Dundas, how scary is it to sit on the designing table to create, for the first time, for your own firm?
I think with the first solo collection I followed my instincts.
For me, it was expressing and discovering who I am in fashion and just doing that.
What are the lessons you have taken with you from your tenure in the best fashion houses?
I think creatively, everything I am today is a summary of what I learned while working as a creative director for other houses, but the biggest lesson is probably how to create an organized structure and work method. It is fundamental, especially when you have a smaller team.
What do you always carry inside, since childhood, as a force that drives your creativity?
I think I was always a dreamer as a child and I think I continue to dream when making collections.
Is the freedom you are experiencing now liberating or slightly heavy?
I don’t think my approach to the collection has changed much since going solo. I think I always saw it as my duty to bring my personal DNA and vision to every collection I design.
What do you absolutely love about women?
There are so many things to love about a woman when dressing her. I find boundless inspiration in my girlfriends like Eugenie and Bianca but more than anything I am inspired by the body. Contrasting and complimenting the body is the fundamental work that I do.
How do you want a woman to feel when she is dressed in Dundas?
When a woman wears Dundas she should feel her absolute best. She should feel like a star. It isn’t necessary to be Beyoncé to shine. Every woman can be a star.
What do you consider bad taste?
I think wearing only the latest of current fashion designers is never a good idea. Especially together. I want to make seasonless, timeless fashion to be worn again and again. Anything else seems meaningless today.
You have said, «I think today a designer needs to be one part businessman but also one part dreamer.» Does having your own brand tilt the scales slightly towards the business end and how do you manage to balance it out?
As a co-founder of our company I definitely need to have a business mind in more situations than before, but I actually think it would have served me well having the business awareness in my past experiences.
What is Greece and especially Mykonos to you?
Greece is the Mediterranean dream. It is the land of the gods. It is the ultimate idea of summer for me. Mykonos is the epicenter of glamour and of summer fun so we are very excited to be part of that in this new way.
Why have you chosen Luisa World to present your line?
Luisa has been an amazing partner for many different parts of my career and I think it is one of the best multi-brand stores in Europe. They have an excellent selection from the different brands and we are thrilled to be part of their portfolio.
Can you share with us a beloved Mykonian memory?
Mykonos was actually my first holiday vacation without my family, but the best memory is meeting my life partner Evangelo there four years ago.
After studying at Parsons School of Design in New York, Peter Dundas became Jean Paul Gaultier’s first assistant in 1992.
When he left Gaultier it was for Christian Lacroix, until he became chief designer for Cavalli in 2002. Only three years later, he leaves for Ungaro, and in 2008 he becomes creative director at Pucci. A homecoming back to Cavalli, for a year or so in 2015, was the last stop before this uber-talented nomad finally launched his own label that has turned him into a fashion power-house.
