SURPRISING + ORIGINAL

In the ever-changing fashion world, Proenza Schouler confirms its role as one of the most surprising and original brands on the market. A winning combination between precisely tailored pieces for refined elegance and laid-back, youthful feel. The brand serves both traditional haute couture markets and the cool downtown young woman.

Born from the vision of two rebellious New York students, Proenza Schouler is an established brand with a global presence competing in the globe’s most prominent fashion weeks.

THE BEGINNING + THE BUILD

Founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez came from very different backgrounds: McCollough, a San Francisco Art Institute student who was studying glass blowing at the time, and Hernandez, a pre-med student at the University of Miami.

As they both transferred to Manhattan’s Parsons School of Design in the same year, the pair met one fateful night in a downtown SoHo club and were inseparable ever since. This was such the case that their professor ‘caved in’ to allowing the students to submit a graduation thesis as a pair.

A kismet duo, the joint thesis immediately attracted the attention of national retailer, Barneys New York, marking the start of what was meant to be a whirlwind career trajectory. Over the last 18 years, Proenza Schouler has breathed new life into American fashion, positioning itself as a leader for North American haute couture in the global market.

From humble beginnings as a small boutique, located at 121 Greene Street in SoHo, Proenza Schouler is now sold in over 350 stores across the world.

WHAT’S IN THE NAME

The name, Proenza Schouler, came from a combination of McCollough’s and Hernandez’s mothers’ maiden names. A fitting tribute for a label that has focused exclusively on women’s wear and women’s accessories since its inception. In a short time, the label has quickly extended its influence outside of apparel to conquer footwear, handbags, swimwear and, in recent years, fine fragrances.

Their most iconic items to shape the label’s stake in the luxury goods market is most notably the PS1 handbag. First released in 2008, the satchel was an instant classic and a symbol of wearable luxury.

With primary inspiration drawn from youth culture and contemporary art, McCollough and Hernandez develop products that are easy to wear, attractive, and project an overall feel of exclusivity through custom-developed fabrics and artisanal techniques that are handmade and one-of-a-kind.

Winners of five Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards (CFDA), McCollough and Hernandez remain dedicated to their passion, continuously emerging season after season with fresh concepts, silhouettes, and juxtapositions of different worlds and symbolism.

THE VISION

Proenza Schouler’s aesthetic is very much detail oriented. In fact, the vision for the label has always been about creating something luxurious, but ultimately easy to wear.

Rather than focusing on one or the other, the two designers try to merge their individual visions into a single product. Unlocking a middle ground, or as McCollough and Hernandez describe it, “the balance of two extremes”, is what ultimately set the duo up for success since the beginning as it pushes boundaries in the fashion industry, yet with calculation.

WHAT’S NEXT

Over the course of the past 18 years, Proenza Schouler’s success is due in some ways to its acute focus on women’s wear and accessories. However, as the label continues to expand, McCollough and Hernandez have released evidence of expansion into menswear. It’s difficult to say what is the next step for these two talented creators, but one thing is certain: Proenza Schouler will never cease to amaze.