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. §
