Multisourcing

Known for his refined and daringly womanly pieces, Peter Som is another new designer that has made waves in the design industry since he won the first ever scholarship for up-and-coming designers from the CFDA in 1997. Not only is he an amazing designer, but he holds a special place in my heart because we went to the same high school! Fun fact. Anyways, he put out his first line in 2001, a clean, sharp line of uptown suit pieces and cocktail dresses. Since then his style has gotten a bit more complicated, taking inspiration for his spring 2010 line from multiple sources. He looked to Jacques-Henri Lartigue’s photos of Deauville (seen here, or here, or here) for the sunglasses, the high-waisted vintage bathing suit bottoms, and the overall ladylike twenties theme. He was also influenced by Hokusai, a Japanese artist who made beautiful woodcut prints such as the famous The Great Wave Off of Kanagawa or Goldfinch and Cherry Tree. This can be seen in the short-sleeved black embroidered jacket with an Asian-style straight collar or in the graphic flower prints. He also drew inspiration from classic preppy style, with nautical striped shirts and patterned wide-leg shorts. He pulled together these 3 drastically different sources to create an incredibly cohesive collection that quirks up classic shapes and forms.
(pictures courtesy of style.com)