Proenza Schouler A/W 2020 New York Fashion Week Women's

Women are standing for fashion show.

(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Mood board: Staged in the ground floor lobby of Frank Gehry's ICA building, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez created a collection poised to tackle an unpredictable new decade for A/W 2020. Filled with enveloping, blanket-like shapes yet bolstered by pieces that twisted and wrapped round the body, the collection exuded an undulating tension of softness and angularity, control and release, for a utterly beguiling effect.

Sound bite: Commenting on what prompted the direction for the collection, Hernandez said backstage, ‘We're not political designers in any way, but you can't help but be influenced by the world around you. We came back into the studio right after the holidays and what you see is this narrative of unraveling, this idea of things falling apart, but also the feeling of wanting to be protected. It's those two opposing forces.'

Best in show: Dresses have always been a Proenza Schouler forte and building upon seasons past, this collection's specimens continued to exude sophistication. Despite hemlines being longer, the garments still retained their sex appeal, thanks to graphic cut-outs that elegantly revealed the midriff and waist, and drapery that followed the lines of the body, either effortlessly slipping off the shoulder or winding around a chunky metal necklace in an all-encompassing gesture. The look was power dressing at its best.

Proenza Schouler A/W 2020 New York Fashion Week Women&rsquo;s — Proenza Schouler A/W 2020

New York Fashion Week Women&rsquo;s — Proenza Schouler A/W 2020

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Pei-Ru Keh is a former US Editor at Wallpaper*. Born and raised in Singapore, she has been a New Yorker since 2013. Pei-Ru held various titles at Wallpaper* between 2007 and 2023. She reports on design, tech, art, architecture, fashion, beauty and lifestyle happenings in the United States, both in print and digitally. Pei-Ru took a key role in championing diversity and representation within Wallpaper's content pillars, actively seeking out stories that reflect a wide range of perspectives. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is currently learning how to drive.