“In fifth grade, I declared to my parents that I was going to be a
fashion designer when I grew up.”
Photo Credit: Yumi Imatsuo for The Select 7
“It made sense. Since the day I could pick up a pen (my mom says I was two) I drew women and their clothes. But my parents were not surprised. As architects, their love of modern 20th century design ran deep. They spoke of Le Corbusier, Breuer and the like with hushed reverence, and filled our hillside house in Mill Valley with their favorites.
When I wasn’t drawing and poring over Vogue issues, I was most often in the kitchen helping my Mom make her Five Spice Roast Chicken, or whip up the egg whites for a spinach souffle. My early love of food and design started me on my path to where I am today. And you know what I’ve come to realize? Pleasures, whether everyday simple or occasionally extravagant, whether a beautiful dress or a perfect pie; when done with thought and an effortless flourish- make life and living all the more sweet.”
Born in San Francisco, Peter Som is cookbook author, culinary creator and award-winning fashion designer. Long recognized for his signature use of color and pattern with streamlined feminine silhouettes in the fashion arena, he’s also just as widely known for his love of entertaining and love of food. Peter’s brand of effortless sophistication extends to all arenas of the lifestyle space, and features in numerous publications and digital platforms including Bon Appétit, Saveur, The Purist (where he is a Contributing Food Editor) Vogue.com, Elle.com, T Magazine, Food and Wine, Refinery29 and Pinterest, where his 3M followers tune in weekly to watch his cooking content. His first cookbook “Family Style” debuted in Spring 2025 with Harvest/HarperCollins.
Peter's clothes have sold at top retailers worldwide and he currently has an ongoing collection exclusively for Rent the Runway. He’s had highly successful collaborations with brands including Kohls, Sferra, Lancôme, Anthropologie and more. He was a finalist in the first CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and twice nominated for the CFDA Emerging Designer Award. Notable women such as Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Scarlett Johansson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal have worn Peter’s clothing.
Peter lives in New York City.