Peter Do Creates Quiet Runway Revolution
By Kelli Luu | 21 Jul, 2025

From a $20 sewing machine to Paris Fashion Week, Peter Do created ultra-modern fashion concepts by imbuing them with his Vietnamese heritage.

Peter Do is one of the most exciting names in fashion and he is quietly dominating the runways with his precision. 

Immigrating to Philadelphia from Vietnam at 14 years old was a challenge for Do as he did not speak any English at first, but he learned to let fashion be his voice. With a $20 sewing machine his mother bought from Kmart, Do began experimenting with clothing. 

His passion led him to FIT in New York, which is where he was first recognized by the industry when he won the LVMH Graduate Prize. 

Taking full advantage of this win, Do immediately got to work at Celine under the Old Celine Queen, Phoebe Philo. Her influence is prominent in Do’s work with the sharp tailoring and wearable art. He later went on to work alongside Derek Lam where he learned a holistic approach to running a brand giving him a thoughtful balance between craftsmanship and brand management. 

In 2018 Do launched PETER DO, which is known for its high quality staples, genderless designs, and faceless advertising, making it all about the clothing. Do’s very first collection debuted during New York Fashion Week in September 2021. 

In 2022 Do was named creative director of Helmut Lang, a notable label in the fashion industry that redefined ‘90s fashion, and was able to merge the brand’s heritage with a modern twist. His first collection with Helmut Lang featured designs that honored his Vietnamese roots as he collaborated with Vietnamese American writer Ocean Vuong. 

After two years, Do stepped down from his role at Helmut Lang to put more time into his own label, which continued to succeed. More recently he co-created with Thai Artisan Philip Huang to develop his Spring 2025 collection which paid homage to Southeast Asian techniques and was showcased at Paris Fashion Week. 

This past year Do was named a finalist for the 2025 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund which was established to help emerging designers bring their visions to life. 

With every stitch Peter Do continues to evolve his designs, showing everyone what modern fashion can truly be. Each of his collections have proven that quiet designs can still speak volumes. Going from a $20 sewing machine to Paris runways, Do’s story is not only inspiring, but also a reminder to stay true to your roots while pushing boundaries.