It's a mod world, at least at Proenza Schouler, where after a couple of seasons of pretty, feminine looks, Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough injected their proceedings with a colorful, sometimes cheeky, dose of sixties pop. Courrèges came instantly to mind when their first model hit the runway in a black-and-white cashmere minidress, an orblike hat sitting atop her head. Later, the duo channeled Paco Rabanne with a chain mail tank and another made from small black and white discs, which also decorated slender clutches.
But this was no retro collection. There were Proenza Schouler trademarks aplenty—including bustier tops (a few of which took on the conic proportions of Jean Paul Gaultier's), great coats, and they-only-work-on-the-runway girdles—all of which showcased the duo's skillful seaming. These were layered, sometimes three and four at a time, with silk jersey tanks, cashmere knits, and trim blazers, capes, or coats in lush tweeds, herringbones, and houndstooths. Evening looks, on the other hand, were more pared down, as in color-blocked silk chiffon gowns that were cinched with satin belts.
The overall effect was more youthful than their recent presentations, but somehow that seems right. Hernandez and McCollough are major talents, with five hit collections and a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize under their belt. But they are also, after all, just a couple of 26-year-olds.
