Designer David Peck shows the many colors of his Spring/Summer 2013 collection.

Fashion, David Peck makes clear, is more than just the clothes we wear. With his eponymous CROP by David Peck Spring/Summer 2013 collection, Peck shows that fashion is both transformative and character defining. (Translation: You are what you wear.)

Underpinning Peck’s “Once Upon a Dream” collection is a stream of narratives, both deeply personal to the designer and profoundly universal. The artistic fish motif, for instance, that swims across silk organza dresses, organic cotton sateen shifts and linen chiffon shirts, is transported from the characters of “Wynken, Blynken and Nod,” a popular poem by American writer Eugene Field.

The designer’s starting point for the seasons’ fish motif began as a stylized cardboard cutout.

His floral origami prints, radiating across pieces like the silk chiffon Arable Top and Laurie Trouser (below), traveled from Peck’s yesteryear love for the Child Craft Encyclopedias—the place from where he began his artistic pursuits.

Other garments speak from journeys later in life. His geographical dresses, skirts and shirts, imprinted with a historical Parisian map from 1850, hail from Peck’s love for his home of six years, where he studied fashion design at École Parsons  Paris. As Peck and I tour the garment and its subtle French centerpiece, we catch sight of the Louvre and the Seine en route to his former apartment.

Beyond the artistic magnificence of Peck’s designs—down to the careful back cutouts and the meticulous placement of seams—is the diversity of all he creates in a single season. Wearable for women across ages, passions and pursuits, he gives his wearer the ingredients to make the piece her own. Classic twists like the racer top Attonia Dress (below), the Havisham Gown from locally sourced viscose jersey (below) or the striped and plaid Elinore dress, made from entirely hand-woven cotton from India, bring playful sophistication to the forefront—day to night and year to year.

For Peck, though, the greatest fashion statement of all is the one he wears proudly: Made in the USA. Each collection is designed and stitched in his namesake production facility in Houston, Texas. There, he works to create his own collection stateside and produces for four other brands who also see the value in local. Through collaboration with the Greater Houston Partnership, Peck hopes this will only continue to grow, as companies take advantage of domestic skills, the large port that Houston offers and the efficiency that local manufacturing can create.

To further support local communities throughout the United States, 10 percent of profits from the complete Spring/Summer 2013 collection will go directly toward caring for homeless youth through the charge of Covenant House. Through such initiatives Peck upholds his founding vision to promote “Creative Opportunities,” abbreviated as CROP.

Dreams, Peck shows, really do come true.

Some more looks we love:

Images: Jennifer Barckley

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