Earlier this year, we told you Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler were building a global empire. After a brief stint in Paris, the duo returned to New York City for their spring 2019 show — and it seems some time apart from the city that made them was exactly what they needed. McCollough and Hernandez presented a collection as clean and strong as ever — which is exactly what New York Fashion Week needed, too.
It's not often a designer, or design duo, reminds you of where you come from. Or the fact that clothes have the power to do that at all. Pardon the identity crisis, but there's just something spiritual about a new silhouette or textile that you could instantly see yourself in. For spring 2019, we've seen a lot of designers struggle to find their signature — their shtick that becomes so ubiquitous it eludes Instagram and trickles down to fast-fashion and into our closets. Think: straight to DVD, but in a good way, and Proenza Schouler did just that. The designers sent six dresses of the same shape down a singular runway — and we're calling its influence now.
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The dress itself may seem like an update to viral gowns past (see: the mullet dress, the leg veil), but it was designed with just enough newness that its potential to be bought and sold en masse is pretty obvious. It's sleeveless, it's got pockets, and it features a dropped peplum that, finally, no longer sits so high on your torso that you can't put your arms down. It came in acid wash denim and a sturdy cotton and sat comfortably in a lineup that featured more structured ensembles like leather button-ups, asymmetrical pencil skirts, trench coats, mismatched suits, and more. We'd be remiss not to direct your attention to those bandanas, too.
Of their last collection, McCollough and Hernandez agreed on one thing: "[Style] is more than just a suit. It’s more than sexy. Women don’t dress for men, they dress for themselves." Of their newest offering, that still holds true — but now, even tighter. Welcome home, boys.