Peter Dundas tapped Paris Jackson for his pre-fall 2023 look book and she looks smoking hot.
“I met her for the first time in Paris during fashion week and completely fell in love with her and her look and her personality, she was absolutely lovely,” Dundas said of his latest muse.
The daughter of pop icon Michael Jackson and Debbie Row takes a sophisticated turn in the images, appearing with slicked back hair and dark red lips, wearing sheer black stockings and heels, her tattoos playing off the collection’s streamlined tailoring and lingerie-inspired looks.
“I wanted a palate cleanser for this collection something more pure, more sensual rather than sexual,” Dundas said.
In a departure from all the cutouts and lacing details he showed for resort when Heidi Klum appeared in his look book, Dundas focused more on wardrobing for pre-fall, with lots of sensual tailoring, including a standout red velvet trench, bodysuits and lacy sets. (“My clients keep asking for them,” he said.)
Eveningwear was boudoir-inspired, with sensual featherweight knit and lace or burnout velvet slips that looked fresh in addition to Dundas’ signature slashed minidresses, one in a fun mix of ‘80s pop camouflage prints reminiscent of Keith Haring’s squiggles.
The pictures were shot at Grupo Jumex heir and art collector Eugenio Lopez’s midcentury Beverly Hills residence.
“It’s the most beautiful place and well, this is his bedroom,” Dundas said of the sumptuous space with gold carpeting, which was the ideal backdrop for the louche looks.
He brought a relaxed Los Angeles vibe to tailoring, too, showing a pair of airy white hammered satin cargo pants under a white cinched waist blazer, and a black blazer with his brand’s side lacing over long shorts.
Although his collection is produced in Europe, Dundas moved to L.A. last year and it has reinforced his design approach, he said.
“When we started the company, we really wanted to create something that was quite seasonless and I think with L.A. you’re almost guided into doing seasonless because it gets cold at night and is very warm during the day.”
Of course, L.A. has also made his celebrity business explode.
“The red carpet I have a lot of fun doing as well and I wanted to focus a little bit more on that with this collection. Lately I’ve been concentrating a lot on very short little dresses, but I want to embrace long again a bit more. It felt right and there was also a lot of demand for it.”
Next year, the designer will launch his first beauty brand with Anastasia Beverly Hills. Called Dundas Enhancers, it’s a gender-neutral line that was developed by Dundas’ business and life partner Evangelo Bousis.
‘It’s his brainchild more than mine, because it’s something that he’s always been interested in from a personal point of view. He’s always worn makeup so it’s all about making you look naturally good,” Dundas explained, noting that the first drop will be foundational, rather than color cosmetics.
Even with talk of a recession looming, the designer isn’t ready to say the party is over.
“I’ve been through recessions before and I definitely don’t think my job is to design depressing clothes for depressing times. My job is to make people happy, look great and feel great in what they’re wearing. And that for me is going to be more important than ever.”
