Peter L. Brundige: Achieving The Delicate Balance Between A Designer's Vision And A Brand's Commercial Viability

As consumers, we often tend to think of a fashion house exclusively in terms of of the designer who fronts the brand. It's difficult to think of Balenciaga without our brains flashing a mental image of Nicolas Ghesquiere for instance. This is all the more true for brands that are still creatively in the hands of their founder such as Diane von Furstenberg or up until recently, Valentino. In reality, a well run fashion brand relies on an entire team of professionals with discreet roles most of whom toil in the shadows away from the spotlight and public attention focused on designers. One important function within this team is the liaison between the brand and its distribution channel. Ensuring a brand is well distributed and carried by the right department stores and multi-brand boutiques is an essential part of a brand's market positioning.

It would be tempting to think of these people as mere salespeople or commercial agents. In fact, it takes a unique blend of commercial savvy and design sensibilities to accomplish this delicate task. Peter L. Brundige happens to be one of those rare individuals. Blessed with a designer's eye for craftsmanship and creative flair mixed with an incisive business sense, Brundige's curriculum vitae reads like a 'who's who' of elite fashion houses. After stints at Lanvin, Chloe and most recently Alessandro dell'Acqua and Borbonese, he decided to strike out on his own roughly a year ago and become a consultant. Based in New York City, The Luxe Chronicles had a chance to sit down with him during New York Fashion Week for an impromptu Q&A.

Photographic References:

From left to right: Look from Alessandro dell'Acqua's Spring 2006 collection; Designer Alessandro dell'Acqua; Look from Alessandro dell'Acqua's Spring 2006 collection. Photos courtesy of Style.com.

What is your fashion background?

I started my career in fashion as a stylist. I know this sounds a bit pedestrian but my mother had a strong influence on my fashion sense. She grew up in an immigrant Italian family during the depression so growing up, I in turn heard lots of stories about bleached flower and chicken feed sacks being turned into pretty little dresses that looked just as good and sometimes better than those worn by her wealthier friends. I think it was a combination of my grandmother's skills as a seamstress and my mother's own personal flair that made the outfits appealing. I like to think I've inherited that flair from her - I tend to take what I find and make it work.

My career really started to take shape when I was hired to style a Lanvin trade show. Based on the strength of my work at that show, I was recruited to work for the brand by then V.P./General Manager Jean-Manuel Pourquet (currently senior vice president and managing director for Matthew Williamson America) and Marvin Traub (former CEO of Bloomingdale's and founder of investment fund TSM Capital). I suppose they saw me as having potential and offered me a position as sales manager and press attache to assist in the brand's relaunch in the U.S. At the time, Lanvin's women's collection was designed by Cristina Ortiz, an incredibly talented designer who eventually went on to design Brioni's women's collection and who is now creative director of Salvatore Ferragamo. The minute I saw her first runway show for Lanvin, I was hooked!

Did you have mentors early in your career - industry professionals who really inspired you?

Fashion is a very tough business. I've been tremendously lucky in that I've had truly talented and generous mentors who cared enough to nurture my talent throughout my career. From the business side, I've learned a great deal from Jean-Manuel Pourquet who lured me away from Chloe to work at Alessandro dell'Acqua after he left Lanvin. I've also learned immensely from Marvin Traub. From the creative side, I learned a great deal from Cristina Ortiz and Alessandro dell'Acqua, both immensely talented designers. Each of these individuals trusted me and in their own way, allowed me to grow professionally. I'm very grateful for their support.

I also took away a great deal of insight from many of the department store buyers I interacted with on behalf of the brands I represented. An important aspect of my work was to support the buyers who carried our apparel. I forged very fruitful working relationships with key people like Deborah Soss and Jennifer Sunwoo at Bergdorf Goodman and Hila Eckelman, the couture buyer at Neiman Marcus. These women are seasoned industry professionals who have solid judgement and a great eye for what will work with their clients. I learned a great deal from them as well in terms of how a brand should work with buyers and department stores. Also, people like Robert Burke (formerly at Bergdorf Goodman), Dawn Mello (former President of Bergdorf Goodman), Joan Kaner (formerly of Neiman Marcus) and Ron Frasch are all industry professionals I've had the pleasure of working with and who in my opinion, set a very high standard for our industry.

You've worked for a coterie of elite fashion houses (Lanvin, Chloe, Alessandro dell'Acqua, Borbonese), what was the appeal of striking out on your own?

I've had the opportunity to wear many hats so-to-speak and so I consider myself fairly well-rounded as far as the fashion industry goes. You get to a point however that no one title or position will allow you to really use all your talents and abilities no matter how well run or successful the brand you're working for. Consulting allows me to pick and choose the projects that suit me and which allow me to grow as a professional. I find this particular brand of freedom really stimulating.

What is it that you do that a designer or his/her team can't do themselves?

I give them an honest, outside perspective. No designer, no matter how talented, can do it all alone. Designers shoulder a tremendous burden and are under a great deal of pressure and scrutiny internally from the business people but also externally from the press, from buyers ... from bloggers (laughter). This can be stifling to their creativity. An honest, outside perspective under these conditions is invaluable.

How do you tell a designer that this detail works or that detail doesn't? Do you find that to be a difficult thing to do?

Sometimes. I always try to approach the situation with diplomacy, honesty and respect. Designing a collection is a process and it involves back-and-forth exchanges. Being creative myself, I think patience in these circumstances is a virtue (if not necessarily a requirement). You don't always have to get everything right at once. The important thing is to be well-packed for the journey so-to-speak and you'll get there eventually.

Does the arms-length relationship your freelance status afford you make your job easier (as opposed to performing your duties when you were in-house)?

Yes but it all depends on how involved I am in the project. I find being the liaison between the creative team and the commercial team easier than being the commercial voice in a creative ear. I think my strength is to be able to blend both abilities. This way, I can give the best advice possible to both teams. Remaining a neutral party only works when you can stand behind your opinion.

Do you take into account feedback from buyers/retailers or do you just follow your own instinct?

I absolutely take into account their feedback! There is no such thing as a perfect collection (although some designers do come close). Fashion can be very fickle and so it's nearly impossible for any designer to turn out a collection that is uniformly brilliant creatively and at the same time commercially successful in its entirety. One of the achievements I'm most proud of is the fact that I have a reputation in the industry for being candid and having integrity. That is, when I'm in a showroom with a buyer, I will show them the very best of a collection and not try to push merchandise which will not work for their clients and therefore will not sell. In return, they trust me. That's invaluable in my line of work.

Many European fashion editors frequently critique the US fashion industry (and US designers) for being too commercial, too sleek. What do you say to that?

The history of European fashion is untouchable. This said, the U.S. fashion industry can also be credited with many groundbreaking innovations especially in terms of how fashion is presented and how fashion is made accessible to consumers. After all, the key term in "fashion industry" is industry. What exactly would be the point of designing and producing apparel if it didn't sell or if women (and men) couldn't actually wear it? Fashion would be an art form that you would go to see in a museum instead of something that is an integral part of our lives. This said, I think it's a bit of a false debate. Having worked primarily for European fashion brands, they're perfectly aware of the commercial aspects of their profession. I blend both cultures without judgement.

What do you look for in clients? Are there ever offers you turn down because you feel like you simply can't work with the designer/design team?

Above all, I need to be drawn to the product. I also need to have a natural chemistry with the designer and the design team. If I can't respond to the aesthetic, I don't think I would be able to support the product. Unfortunately, I have turned down projects because of the lack of that connection.

The turnover of fashion seems to be faster and faster (fall, pre-fall, resort, spring/summer, etc.). Do you see this trend continuing or do you sense that this frenetic pace cannot be sustained?

Refreshing consumer offerings at key moments is essential to the bottom line. New deliveries keep end-customers (consumers) coming back. I prefer the four collection breakdown as long as it remains coherent. I tend to advise my clients to play the game as long as it's not played at the expense of the designer's vision. If a client feels confident about generating enough products that remain true to the design vision, then I support it. I don't push this however. I would rather the designer concentrate on what is realistic to achieve then to overextend themselves.

What is your view on all these defunct fashion houses being relaunched or revived (Halston, Ossie Clark, Schiaparelli)? Are these mere marketing ploys or do you see these fashion houses blossoming into serious fashion labels again?

If the right team is put in place and there is true inspiration and spirit behind the project, then I think the brand will have substance. I've had the opportunity to witness first hand the transition of a venerable fashion house. For instance, Cristina Ortiz was brought in to revive Lanvin. While she diligently researched the brand's history through its archives, she brought her own personality and vision to her collections. The clothing became a modern interpretation of Lanvin's spirit and aesthetic. She managed to respect Lanvin's history while offering modern women, elegant clothing that acknowledges the way they live now. In this way, she remained very true to Jeanne Lanvin's vision: an opportunity to depart from the norm but in an elegant and modern way.

Do you find that taking on the creative reigns of a high-profile fashion house, while glamorous, can sometimes be a bit of a poisoned chalice for a young designer?

I think it is at once a tremendous opportunity as well as a risky proposition. It takes a very strong person, both in terms of design talent and character to step into that role and survive the critical transition. I experienced this first hand when Phoebe Philo took the reigns at Chloe from Stella McCartney. Stella had been a very popular designer and was a tough act to follow. I was recruited to the team after her first runway show following her nomination as creative director. We had to work extra hard to support her vision but in a manner that was respectful of the brand and her predecessor's contribution. We also had to work hard to maintain, and in some instances re-gain, acceptance from both the industry and consumers. Phoebe Philo pulled it off and eventually grew into her role and made her mark on the House of Chloe. A lessor designer might not have managed the transition as smoothly or might not have succeeded at all. I'm proud of the work we all did as a team. I would love for her to get back to designing someday.

What is the fashion trend you would most like to see disappear and never be seen again? (I personally would love to eradicate shoulder pads from existence - what about you?)

Oh God! I'm so with you on the shoulder pads! I would also add to that list high-rise trousers, bubble skirts and deconstructed sacks. To be honest, it's not necessarily that any one of these trends is inherently offensive. It's just that they eventually become overdone or exaggerated to the point of becoming unflattering.

What are you currently up to these days? What brands are you working for?

I'm currently working with London-based designer Allegra Hicks. After designing for a number of years now, her brand is at a crossroads of sorts and she feels she's now ready to take on new challenges as a designer. I was tapped to help her and her team chart a new course. I find that hugely flattering. Allegra has a great deal of potential as a designer which we haven't seen in the forefront and I look forward to continuing my professional collaboration with her and her team.

Can I extract a promise from you to sit down again with The Luxe Chronicles and discuss your work with Allegra Hicks?

Absolutely - I would love to do that!

Great! Thank you for sitting down to discuss your work with The Luxe Chronicles. Good luck.

It was a pleasure! Thank you.

Photographic references:
Row 1: Look from Chloe's Spring 2003 collection; Designer Phoebe Philo; Look from Chloe's Spring 2003 collection. Photos courtesy of Style.com.
Row 2: Look from Lanvin's Fall 2001 collection; Designer Cristina Ortiz; Look from Lanvin's Fall 2001 collection. Photos courtesy of Style.com.

Comments

[Raynald L.]

Peter, keep doing what you doing. I have known you since the Lanvin days and can confirm that you have impressed me as one of the hardest working professional in fashion, not just as a closer but a keen eye for what is in, in this tumultuous market.

[Gito]

I met Peter when he was working for Chloe' and quickly understood his vision and respect it. As a retailer, When Peter calls me to view a collection I know that it is not a goose chase. He is very talented and knows how to translate fashion.

[Joe Milner]

Peter's ability to speak both languages - "fashion" and "industry" - seems to be the 3rd key ingredient for a house's success. Excellent article!

[Jean-Manuel]

Peter, I am so proud of you! The years we spent together with Cristina Ortiz and Marvin Traub at Lanvin were a sheer pleasure and a great professional fullfilment. You might have learned a lot from me, but knowing you is undoubtedly daily rewarding on both personal and professional levels.

[mario c.]

great article about a very talented man. interesting to hear about that aspect of the fashion business that is not often discussed.

[Lala]

What an interesting career path he has taken! With so much experience at so many top houses, he clearly brings a lot of experience and insight to his clients.