BREAKING: Peter Do Named Creative Director Of Helmut Lang

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — Storied label Helmut Lang (which was once sold to Prada, but is now owed by Link Theory Holdings “LTH” of Tokyo, a fully owned subsidiary of Fast Retailing, the Japanese conglomerate behind Uniqlo) just named Peter Do its new creative director.

Do, known for his effortless cool factor and fine tailoring starts his new position this coming Monday (May 15).

Do will oversee all creative responsibilities for the women’s and men’s collections, and his debut collection for spring 2024 will be presented during New York Fashion Week in September. He will continue to helm his own eponymous brand.

Do will be based at the Helmut Lang design studio at Fast Retailing’s Design and Innovation Center in New York and will report to Dinesh Tandon, chief executive officer of Helmut Lang, who also heads Theory.

Previously, the brand was designed by a studio team. In the past, others who have held creative roles at Helmut Lang include Mark Howard Thomas, who has been creative director, men’s wear, Thomas Cawson, who has been design director and creative director, denim, and Shayne Oliver, who has been designer in residence.

“We are thrilled to have Peter Do join Helmut Lang as creative director. His clear and innovative approach to design very much aligns with the brand’s ethos and heritage. His experience with luxury fashion houses and his acclaimed eponymous label make him a natural choice for this role,” said Tandon.

Do was born in Bien Hoa, Vietnam, and immigrated to the suburbs of Philadelphia at 14 years old. He studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and was the recipient of the inaugural 2014 LVMH Graduate Prize. He then took a job in the ready-to-wear atelier at Celine under Phoebe Philo and later at Derek Lam. In 2018, he launched his own eponymous label.

Do’s affinity for Lang began during his formative years studying at FIT, he said.

“No one embodied radical thinking more definitively than Helmut Lang,” said Do. “It is my deep honor to be entrusted with ushering in the next chapter of Helmut Lang’s legacy. I am excited to learn from the foundations this house stands on and to continue creating new, energetic clothes that inspire people to challenge their understanding of what is possible when it comes to expressing their individuality,” he said.

Helmut Lang, which was established in 1986, is well known for its pioneering minimalism, engagement with artists and challenges to orthodoxy. The brand pays homage to its namesake [Helmut Lang left the industry 18 years ago] with a progressive approach across rtw, special edition capsules and multidisciplinary collaborations.

When Do launched his designer collection, he was quickly seen as the new guard of fashion, building his brand through social media. After unveiling his namesake collection for spring 2019 during Paris market — without a show, presentation or press — he landed nine confirmed stockists, including Net-a-porter and Dover Street Market Ginza, London and New York.

Photos: Mario Sorrenti via Helmut Lang

Source: WWD