Peter Dundas seems to be on a roll; celebrities flock to his glamorous repertoire like bees to honey. Dressing Shakira for her firecracker halftime performance at the Super Bowl (“We used 20,000 flame red crystals for the dress,” he said) was a highlight of his career; Lizzo looked sensational at the Brit Awards swathed in a draped electric blue sequined number. His style has always been about celebrating the body beautiful, no matter the size or the age. “I like to dress my teenage nieces as well as I’m happy to help an 80-year-old [woman] look her glamorous best,” he said during a showroom appointment.
Dundas’s hyper-glamour isn’t associated with an idea of comfort; his body-con, voluptuous creations surely don’t conjure images of a laid-back, easygoing attitude—rather, they suggest one of decadence and indulgence. Yet for his 12th collection, he wanted to address the issue by proposing a jersey capsule of long, sinuous dresses in white or black stretchy jersey with knotted crystal details, intended to be more ease-friendly—when, say, you’re trying to run agilely away from throngs of paparazzi chasing you. To amp up the comfort ante, he also introduced an activewear line of spandex leggings, bralettes, and leotards in black or jungle print. The clothes can be used for performance, but they can also be layered under more sexier styles. A #dundasgirl also wants to look smashing on a treadmill.
The rest of the collection walked familiar territory, referencing Eastern themes tinged with sensual overtones and inspired by the roaring twenties. Black underpinned a palette of mostly dark colors contrasted by more vivid jewel-toned accents. Silhouettes were obviously contouring and sexy with a dash of louche—you won’t find demure chez Dundas. Yet he has a penchant for kimonos, which have a body-friendly shape and can be more easily adapted to different sizes. “I was inspired by a kimono Freddie Mercury used to perform in; he belongs to my heroes’ pantheon,” explained Dundas, whose work often references the music world. He offered plenty of the item’s iterations: in silk jacquard printed in a butterfly motif, in crushed panne velvet, in silk fil coupe with a metallic shine. In pure Dundas style, they were worn over a diva-esque, shapely bustier minidress embellished with crystals or else wrapped over an alluring ensemble of tight faded-denim pants worn with a matching brassiere—which probably was what comes closest to his idea of ease and comfort. “It’s sexy but functional,” he said, perhaps somewhat oxymoronically.
