Fashion weeks are all about trends, right? Well yes, for most of us. But for the labels concerned, they’re actually about offering up a new vision of what a very specific set of customers who might want to buy-into that label will want to wear.
It’s why some labels happily tread their own path leaving those pesky trends for others. Not that this is the Proenza Schouler way. One of New York’s premier labels is deft at satisfying both its own customers and a wider audience hungry for new seasonal ideas.
And so it was late on Monday as design duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez showed a particularly trans-seasonal vision that took in weatherproof coats (even including an intarsia mink) and knits, as well as spring jackets and more summery dresses.
And what of those trends? Let’s go through the NYFW checklist: Black and white. Tick. Twists, frills, asymmetry, plissé, frills and cutouts. Tick. Power primaries (red, ginger, royal blue). Tick. Disrupted stripes. Tick. Body con. Tick. Oversized earrings. Tick. Flatforms. Tick.
But dig deeper and this was no mere exercise in making sure the label has the trends to watch come next spring. Instead it was a continuation of a very distinct Proenza Schouler signature that ensures the label’s looks will always stand out in a crowd.
This time McCollough and Hernandez threw some surprising elements into the mix. Those asymmetric skirts with hi-lo hems were teamed with either layered streetwear tees or sharply tailored fitted jackets. The bodycon striped sweater dresses were far from the basics they could have been with their dense-but-open texture and fringed hems. And the knotting/twisting, cutouts and crop tops were less about in-your-face sexy than can’t-miss-it cool.
All in all? A collection to covet… and of course to wear. But also to wait patiently for. Now, if only this label would do instant availability…
