Review of Dundas Fall 2023 Fashion Show
The Voyager Returns to Dress the Dundas Sirens
By Angela Baidoo
Making a triumphant return to the Parisian stage, Peter Dundas presented a collection within the fittingly opulent surroundings of the Palais Garnier titled ‘The Woman and The Sea’.
Declared as a love letter to his Norwegian familial roots, Peter Dundas took to the waves, with seafaring and naval references filtered throughout his fall 2023 collection. Inspired by his discovery of old family photos, show notes reveal “His father [spent] time as an officer in the Navy, his aunt [was] one of the world’s first female naval telegraphists, [and] several uncles were ship captains”. The collection merges the influences of Naval uniform silhouettes and details with the ultra-feminine and sensual silhouettes that have come to embody the Dundas woman. Speaking to The Impression backstage, Dundas said “I think its important as a designer to give women confidence, to make them feels strong and proud of who they are and their bodies”.
Dundas returned to the Paris Fashion Week schedule with a heady mix of sensual sheer silhouettes juxtaposed against the uniformity of military tailoring, which truly aligned with where fashion is heading next
Naval and military overtones opened the fall 2023 collection with coats featuring prominently. Great coats came in a rich navy with the standard brass hardware, while highlights of deep red on collars and across internal linings added a dose of authenticity.
Fair-isle knits, which took the form of a cosy sweater lounge set and have close ties with the region, were inspired by the designers Grandmothers hand-knitted pieces from his childhood.
A return to the bohemian was strongly felt across this collection, here too given a provocative update rendered in chiffon with multiple slits to the front, or as a khaki devoré in an asymmetric mini dress. A heavily embellished version, that will surely act as an investment piece took the style from day into night and could even be a consideration for the alternative bridal market. Tailoring was sharp yet relaxed in grey wool, and we could very well see the return of the matelot pant, as shorts or a matching mini skirt set. Tapping into stealth wealth mode, wide-leg trousers were teamed with fine gauge knits and chubby furs for the woman who wears her heart and wealth on her sleeve.
Where Dundas has always excelled is in his creating of the perfect embellished gown, and within this collection he gave his customer a myriad of options, from sheer red mesh to a modest maxi version in navy. But added to this season were beautifully bias-cut styles, simple column dresses which when viewed from the back revealed a sexy play on the thong trend, and considering options for those whose travel budgets allow for year-round escapes, the closing gowns which combined crafted crochet with chiffon capes will be highly sought after the minute they hit the stores.
As part of the shows invitation, Dundas collaborated with Polkadot, Unique Network, and UME to bring the metaverse to Paris Fashion Week. Prior to the show each attendee received a unique DUNDAS PFW 2023 PoAP (Proof of Attendance Protocol), which essentially works as a digital form of recognition of having attended or participated in the show as a guest of the brand. This distinctive NFT (Non-Fungible Token) also opened up access to exclusive content, including the show notes for todays runway collection. In incorporating Web3 into his return to Paris, Dundas wanted to underscore his “mission to innovate and deliver ground-breaking experiences within digital fashion by leveraging Web3 technology” according to the show notes.
With only a handful of designer brands and luxury houses truly investing in Web3 technology, it is encouraging to see Peter Dundas embrace it so readily, and in a way which also aligns with his commitment to sustainability – his choice of Unique Network, meant an eco-friendly blockchain partner solution.