It didn't take David Peck long to return to the Houston fashion scene.
After shuttering his namesake brand last month after filing for bankruptcy, Peck has returned with a new brand — Miles David Atelier — and a new attitude.
"A new investor who loved the work I was doing before gave me the opportunity to re-launch and do it the way I want to do it," Peck tells CultureMap.
He is open for business in the same Montrose location that he was in previously, although he plans to introduce the new line in a series of private events in early December.
Much like Marc Jacobs folded his secondary Marc by Marc line into his namesake label, Peck's new collection merges basic ready-to-wear items like those found in his previous line with special occasion made-to-order gowns and cocktail attire.
The new name combines family history — Peck's son is named for the designer's great-great grandfather John Easton Miles, the 12th governor of New Mexico — and his new investor's passion for jazz great Miles Davis. "It just all came together," Peck says.
His previous bankruptcy doesn't really affect the new business, Peck says, adding "it's in the hands of the court." The new investor, who asked to remain unnamed, will handle the business end of Miles David, leaving Peck to concentrate on creative duties.
"Really, it's like I have a new job," he says.
In the fashion business, it's not unusual for designers to experience cash flow issues, and the most successful designers tend to have strong business partners who handle the financial end. Peck notes he was in Los Angeles recently to research new textiles for the brand. "I wasn't able to do that previously because I didn't have the resources," he says.
His business and production staff will be leaner, but more sales people have been hired to enhance the customer experience. The store will also feature jewelry and accessories, shapewear, and Miles David home products. The brand plans to launch an eCommerce site by the end of the year.
Peck calls the new collection "an evolution. It's a lot more 'me' in many ways. After five years I have a better idea of who my customer is."
And who is his customer?
Peck calls her a "driven professional woman," who, whether she works for a non-profit or has a career outside the home is interested in fashion, "but she's not necessarily a slave to it," he says. "She doesn't want to wear the same thing as everyone else. She wants to be unique."
The new line will focus on those special pieces, with limited edition cocktail dresses and gowns at a more expensive price point, along with ready-to-wear items in the $150 - $400 range. "I'm making some affordable pieces for the everyday user and some more special occasion pieces," he says.
The new Miles David collection.
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