The Designer Behind Jay-Z’s Favorite Pastel Suits Just Launched Womenswear
You’ve definitely seen a Davidson Petit-Frère suit, even if you don’t immediately recognize his name. His beautifully tailored, oft-printed or pastel-hued jackets and trousers have been worn by the likes of Jay-Z (a fan of the baby blue and mauve designs), Diddy, and Alex Rodriguez. Petit-Frère is a 31-year-old self-taught, self-made designer, born and raised in New York, whose studio is located in the power suit pole of the U.S., midtown Manhattan.
Petit-Frère showed his menswear line, Frère, for the first time during New York Fashion Week Men’s last year and last night, his brand took another big leap forward with a debut women’s line and accompanying film. His spring 2021 collection features double-breasted suit jackets in pale pink and velvet blazers in mint green. There are luxurious bomber jackets and classic, fitted tuxedos, as well as suits designed in modern, graphic prints. Petit-Frère’s luxurious clothes are the kind we dream of wearing post-COVID-19, when we all head back to the office or to an event with a red carpet attached.
The pandemic has been a difficult time for Petit-Frère, as he lost his beloved grandmother to the virus. In order to heal, after taking time away for a couple of months, he focused on honing his creativity and imagination, not only through designing his new womenswear and spring 2021 collection but also through scriptwriting. Petit-Frère has always loved filmmaking and spent time early in his career creating costumes for shows like Starz’s Power starring 50 Cent.
Yesterday he released a film he wrote, co-produced, and co-directed, titled Destined. It stars his friend and client, actor and Lovecraft Country star Michael K. Williams. The plot centers around Williams as an art thief who falls for a woman in the middle of a job. “The narrative is a mixture of my two favorite genres, action and romance,” says Petit-Frère. “This new collection shows the evolution of Frère, and you can see that detail in the film.”
Frère is a New York brand on the rise. “I’ve always wanted to make my mark in womenswear,” Petit-Frère notes. “But the timing had to be right. The inspiration for the women’s collection was wanting to allow the Frère woman to express herself to the fullest by wearing colors and prints that put her personality front and center.” He adds, “Frère is evolving into a fashion house and this is a step in the right direction.”
Photo: Courtesy of Frère1/29
Photo: Courtesy of Frère2/29
