All grown up

The prince of prints: David Peck showcases innovative designs in Fashion Houstonrunway show

David Peck developed several prints for his spring 2013 collection.
Photo by © Chinh Phan/CultureMapSNAP.com
Peck's collection features bold geometric patterns.
Photo by Vara Pappas
Peck says his colletion is aimed at the woman who is looking for quality andaffordable price.
Photo by © Chinh Phan/CultureMapSNAP.com
Peck featured a number of gauzy etheral gowns.
Photo by © Chinh Phan/CultureMapSNAP.com
Peck says his customers love color.
Photo by © Chinh Phan/CultureMapSNAP.com
Peck made origami flowers and photographed them for a print.
Photo by © Chinh Phan/CultureMapSNAP.com
Peck used silk noil, a nubby, low-sheen fabric that resembles cotton and linenin a number of his designs.
Photo by © Chinh Phan/CultureMapSNAP.com
Several looks include a mullet hem - shorter in the front and longer in theback.
Photo by © Chinh Phan/CultureMapSNAP.com
A highlight of Peck's collection is his distinctive fabrics.
Photo by © Chinh Phan/CultureMapSNAP.com
This print came from an 1850s map of Paris.
Photo by © Chinh Phan/CultureMapSNAP.com

After a year's hiatus, David Peck returned to the Fashion Houston runway Tuesday night, and it was interesting to see how far he's come in such a relatively short time.

Since presenting his first-ever runway collection at the inaugural Fashion Houston in 2010, Peck has expanded his collection (he showed a whopping 41 looks this time around), added more retailers around the nation (30 this spring alone), and has been the featured attraction at Aspen Fashion Week and at the Tootsies store in Atlanta, where his distinctive CrOp by David Peck collection has developed a following.

" The collection is a little bit bigger, which is great and I think we know better who our customer is," Peck explained after his show.

"The collection is a little bit bigger, which is great and I think we know better who our customer is," Peck explained after his show. "It's the woman who likes to dress well. She looks for quality and affordable price. She likes color. I think we're getting to be well known for tailoring and how things fit."

His collection features bold geometric patterns in bright colors and digital prints, which are a specialty of Peck's. He based the prints on books that inspired him as a child, including one featuring a print of a map of Paris from the 1850s and a fish print from the children's poem, "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" by Eugene Field. Peck made a cardboard fish and photographed it to make the print.

He also made origami flowers and photographed them for a print. "I was big nerd growing up. I loved the child craft encyclopedias World Book had. They would always have a make-and-do craft book and I like to make origami," he confessed.

Diverse collection

The collection is diverse, with etheral gowns of gauzy chiffon and sporty racerback tank-designed gowns made from sporty matte jersey that outlines practically every body part. Striped dresses, several with mullet hems (shorter in the front, longer in the back) contrast with jumpsuits and shifts in a floral yellow fabric.

"We've never claimed to be completely organic, but we try to make responsible decisions to make a positive impact, no matter what we do."

All the looks were accessorized by colorful handbags created by Houston designer Elaine Turner.

Another highlight of Peck's collection is his distinctive fabrics. For the geometric patterned pieces he used silk noil, a nubby, low-sheen material.

"It looks like linen or cotton but it's silk so it maintains the color more and stays vibrant even after you wash it, "he said.

Peck emphasizes natural fibers, including silk and organic cotton. Some striped and pink sparkly fabrics were hand woven in India using a process that requires no electricity and maintains traditions that date back thousands of years. The digital prints are done locally in a method that doesn't hurt the environment. And the matte jersey fabrics come from an East Coast mill that is one of the last to manufacture the product.

"We've never claimed to be completely organic, but we try to make responsible decisions to make a positive impact, no matter what we do," he said.

Expanding production

Peck is leading a group of young designers who are determined to design and manufacture high-quality collections right here in Houston. Not only does he produce his entire collection here, he also manufactures clothing for other designers.

"The fashion calender is going to have to shift in some way or designers are going to have to be more innovative and at least offer some things immediately."

"We are going to be producing more than 60,000 garments in our factory and we are gradually figuring out how to expand it," he said.

He also a leader in getting the product to consumers as soon as possible. He is offering several looks for spring directly off the runway online and at a trunk show at Tootsies today.

"The fashion calender is going to have to shift in some way or designers are going to have to be more innovative and at least offer some things immediately. From the very beginning of the brand, we've talked about being able to do it this way," he said.

"It may take a little while before it fully changes but now that fashion and the media has become so public, it's not guarded anymore. It's not people sketching in the salons of Paris and nobody being able to take a photograph. It's out there basically as soon as it happens."

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UNIFORM UTOPIA

Luxury scrubs brand FIGS opens first Texas location in Rice Village

Photo courtesy of FIGS

FIGS will open its new Rice Village Community Hub on December 6.

Healthcare apparel company FIGS is opening its first brick-and-mortar store in Texas with a new Community Hub in Rice Village. The retail space is designed to serve both as a store and a gathering spot for the city's healthcare community.

The Rice Village location opens this Saturday, December 6, with a public grand opening event on December 13 from 6 to 8 pm featuring giveaways, music, food, and drinks from local vendors. Joining outposts in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City, the Houston location is the fourth Community Hub for the company and the only location in the South.

The store will carry the full range of FIGS products, including scrubwear, loungewear, and accessories. It will also host events and programming focused on healthcare topics, offering visitors opportunities to meet and share experiences.

At the new FIGS boutique, shoppers will find the Color Clinic, offering scrubwear in core colors with rotating seasonal options. The store also has a Customization Station, which provides embroidery for names, titles, practice or hospital logos, and local icon options available only at Community Hubs. Personalization is also available for scrub caps, outerwear, and accessories.

FiGS The new FIGS store will offer a Color Clinic and Customization Station to let shoppers personalize their FIGS uniforms. Photo courtesy of FIGS/Instagram

The brand, founded in 2013 by Heather Hasson and Trina Spear, is known for fashion-forward medical uniforms made from a proprietary fabric with four-way stretch, antimicrobial technology, moisture-wicking, and wrinkle resistance. Hasson and Spear began selling directly to healthcare workers in Los Angeles-area hospital parking lots before growing their presence as an online retailer.

CEO and co-founder Trina Spear believes Rice Village was the perfect choice due to its proximity to the Texas Medical Center. She said the company wanted a space that supports Houston healthcare professionals and gives them a place to shop and connect.

"Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world, and we are honored to bring a FIGS Community Hub to this city. This space is designed to serve and celebrate Houston healthcare professionals," said Spear. "Our Community Hubs create opportunities for customers to not only shop in a way that never previously existed, but to connect with each other and with FIGS on a deeper level."

FIGS Community Hub, 5515 Kelvin Dr., Suite 130, 77005

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