David Peck - Up Close and Personal

(Photo Courtesy of www.davidpeckcollection.com)

I had the incredible experience of actually getting to meet and talk with David Peck in person during his champagne reception held at the Elaine Turner store in Houston's Rice Village.  The event took place on Wednesday afternoon during the Audi Fashion Houston event in October.  Even though my cousin, Shanna (and photographer) were running around covering the event for San Jose Fashion Week magazine, we had to make a stop by this talented desginer's reception!
David was immensly humble and talked with Shanna and I about the CrOp project that he recently started. He enlightened us that CrOp stood for Creative Opportunites and that he would be working with various artist and organizations in order to develop inspirations for his upcoming lines as well as bring attention to the needful situations at hand.
I was so intrigued! Honestly, I just took such a quick liking to him as a designer and the work he had in mind for the future.  I cheerfully stood next to him while demanding my cousin hurry and take our picture.
I then later approached David about doing an interview for me on the blog and answering some questions that I thought were relevant to his work and the fashion industry we all love so much!  He agreed and this is what he had to say!

Have you always wanted to pursue a career in fashion?

I think that I did even though I might not have known it. My childhood was full of creativity—maybe too much at times if you ask my parents, so I should have known that I was bound to do something along those lines. Growing up, I didn’t know anyone who was a fashion designer or had pursued a similar career. It didn’t seem like a real career possibility until much later.

Did your love for music (cello) effect how you felt about the artistic career path of design?

It was my frustration with how I saw my music career going that ultimately made me seek a design career. As much as I loved music, I knew that I would never be at the level I would need to be to be fulfilled by it as a career. That realization made me be honest about what I wanted to do and put all of my energy into achieving it.

What made you decide to move to Paris to attend Parsons school abroad?

Paris was one of those places that I always knew would be a part of my journey. Even as a young child I knew I would someday live there. I think it was all of the books that I read and too many movies! My first degree didn’t allow me the opportunity to study abroad. When I decided to go into design, a study abroad component was essential. Parsons Paris fit the bill perfectly.

What was it like attending Parsons in Paris as opposed to maybe an American fashion design school?

I had only intended on spending a year in Paris and then moving to New York to finish my degree. There was something about Paris that made me feel like I belonged—like it was home. Europe in general is much smaller in scale than America, and that suited me really well. Parsons Paris also has a hands-on, studio approach in regards to textile development and garment construction that definitely helped me develop in a way that most traditional American programs wouldn’t.

How did you feel about Houston Fashion Week this year?

Audi Fashion Houston was a great experience and I was proud to be a part of the inaugural year. It can only get bigger and better. There is so much room for Houston to develop as a leader in the fashion industry. We have so many resources and advantages that can be exploited because of our strong economy and geographic location. Fashion Houston was a good step in the right direction.

How did Jamie Collier’s photography affect your design ideas?

The great thing about having artists as friends is that you are constantly inspired by their work. Jaime’s photos really helped to direct the color story and textures of the collection as well as inspiring the cause for the season.

How are the costume designs you were involved with different from the runway pieces you have recently been producing?

Costume design is such a different animal than a full-fledged collection. Costumes require character studies and psychological analysis—things that don’t necessarily happen when I’m designing for my own line. Good costume design tells you about the inner life of a character, while what you see when I design for my own line is a projection of what I think a person can look like. Hopefully, my line inspires how people dress, while a costume design is inspired by the character.

How and when did you come up with the idea of CrOp?

CrOp grew out of a need for collaboration and creating new opportunities. I had moved to Houston without a real idea of how I was going to work creatively. It was through seeing work like Jaime Collier’s that I began to be inspired again to create something new.

I had also attended an event sponsored by the MBA council chaired by Lynn Wyatt. That event connected me to people in Houston that I didn’t even know were here working, which was totally inspiring.  It was because of that event that I got to know Elaine Turner’s work and was able to work with her on this last collection and the one to come.

What other endeavors would you like to pursue as far as the CrOp project goes?

My plans for CrOp are huge, but the short term answer is that the next season is going to be inspired by the Gulf region and the resilience of the people in the face of natural disasters and oil spills. I’m going to be working with Safe Planet to help create a new garment manufacturing economy here in Houston to assist those who have been displaced. It’s a long term project, but one for which I think Houston is ready.

How does living in Houston differ from say, NYC or Paris?

I will be the first to say that I was skeptical about moving to Houston after having lived in NYC and Paris.  I wasn’t sure what it would have to offer me creatively. The truth is that I have found Houston to be a warm and responsive place for my work. Houstonians really know how to support the entrepreneurial spirit, and that has been incredible for me to witness. NYC and especially Paris will always hold a special place for me, but in terms of being able to do what I love to do, Houston has been the right place at the right time for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better city to welcome me.

If you want to see more of David Peck's CrOp collection click HERE!

Follow David Peck on Twitter and Facebook!

His designs can also be found at the Elaine Turner store and 310 Rosemont boutique.

Here I am excited to take a little photo op!

(All Photos below Photography by Shan Renee)

Here are my favorites from Audi Fashion Houston that our press team captured.