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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SPRING FORWARD

3 Houston designers unveil bold looks and colorful collections for spring

Photo courtesy of Hunter Bell

Hunter Bell celebrates 20 years with a Spring 2026 collection featuring exclusive artwork by Isabel Wislon woven throughout key pieces.

Although the official start of spring is still a few weeks away, Houston designers have been busy creating their latest collections. Available now, these seasonal debuts feature bold designs, saturated colors, and an interplay between elegance and playful charm. In Houston, where dressing for the spring season is practically a sport, these statement skirts, flowing dresses, and eye-catching jewelry are not just wardrobe updates; they are a part of what makes the city come alive with seasonal style.

Hunter Bell

Houston designer Hunter Bell commemorates her 20th anniversary with a Spring 2026 debut that feels both celebratory and personal. She tapped fellow Houston creative, Isabel Wilson, for an exclusive painting for this collection. The painting isn't featured in just one print; its element are layered throughout the collection's key pieces.

Alongside Hunter Bell's signature bold prints that feature floral motifs and bright spring colors, customers will also find hidden quotes woven into select pieces. They're inspired by the cities and spaces that have shaped the designer's two-decade journey. The brand will be celebrating its 20th anniversary all year long, making this launch the first of many to come.

Hidden quotes and signature floral prints define Hunter Bell’s anniversary collection, marking the first of several releases planned for the year.Photo courtesy of Hunter Bell

Christy Lynn Collection

On the heels of opening her first boutique outside Houston in Healdsburg, California, Christy Lynn Lee unveils her Spring 2026 collection, Aurielle. Inspired by California, where she was married and began dreaming of launching her own brand, the collection channels California vibes filtered through Lee's romantic lens.

Aurielle features warm hues alongside pops of color and doesn't stray from the hand-painted floral motifs that are the brand's cornerstone. In addition to flowing dresses, the new collection offers lightweight layering pieces and several two-piece sets that easily mix and match with other prints and silhouettes.

Christy Lynn Spring 2026 Flowing dresses, lightweight layers, and mix-and-match sets highlight the romantic direction of Christy Lynn’s latest seasonal launch.Photo courtesy of Christy Lynn Collection

Susana Vega

Jewelry designer Susana Vega is once again moving her label forward with surprising materials and innovation in her latest collection, Soto. Known best for her elegant sculpted beadwork designs, Vega most recently launched her first collection of mixed metals and has now unveiled organic designs made from reclaimed cedar wood sourced from Petén, Guatemala.

The Soto collection consists of earrings, ear cuffs, and bracelets, each hand-carved to preserve the integrity of the wood's grain. The pieces are then inlaid with either silver or gold elements and finished with beeswax for a lived-in, natural look.

Susana Vega/Soto Hand-carved cedar earrings and cuffs are inlaid with silver or gold and finished with beeswax in Susana Vega’s newest collection.Photo courtesy of Susana Vega

Photo courtesy of Hunter Bell

Hunter Bell celebrates 20 years with a Spring 2026 collection featuring exclusive artwork by Isabel Wislon woven throughout key pieces.

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