Proenza Schouler Puts a Fresh Spin on Quiet Luxury
While there’s always room in the fashion cycle for a new trend, one doesn’t always need to reinvent the wheel to create something beautiful. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the creative forces behind Proenza Schouler, took that approach for their latest collection—and by bringing design elements (i.e. transparent fabrics and artful layering) from past seasons into the label’s fall/winter 2024 looks, the pair are creating the sartorial foundation for the woman they’re dressing.
For over two decades, the designers have created clothes that have come to define American fashion: modern, smart, and, most importantly, wearable. Yes, there have been moments where the label has debuted novel ideas that now feel “quintessentially Proenza,” but with over 20 years under their belts, McCollough and Hernandez have enough experience to know that, sometimes, the best ideas are the ones that mature and evolve with time.
It’s an investment in the Proenza Schouler woman, who—according to this collection, which the design duo presented at the Chelsea Factory in Manhattan on Saturday—has developed a knack for pared-back elegance with an edge. Structured wool coats and leather jackets were styled with coordinating snoods, while oversized shawls were secured into place with oversized safety pins (a detail one could not help but notice as the models walked by). The color palette was mainly muted, featuring charcoal and dove grays, black, and cream, with the only exceptions to the neutral palette being peach, red, and metallic gold.
The collection undoubtedly falls into the “quiet luxury” trend that’s been leading fashion over the past year, but don’t forget: this is the Proenza Schouler take on minimalism, which includes details that makes each piece stand out among its peers. Case in point: a simple leather scarf topping off a matching shirtdress, or a transparent turtleneck styled over a crisp button-down shirt. It’s the minutiae that makes every look a modern interpretation of a classic.
Proenza’s creative directors leaned into comfort with this collection. (After all, what’s fall and winter without clothes you want to be swaddled in?) And while this season’s coats may be the heroes of 2024 cold-weather dressing, practicality extends to the label’s shoes—namely, classic boots of both the structured and slouchy variety, leather loafers, and sneakers—and bags, which included easy clutches and square totes.
At a time when there seems to be a lot of noise—both in the fashion industry and the news cycle—McCollough and Hernandez offer a collection that serves as solid ground. And it is here where one can find the safety to grow into something better than ever before.
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