Proenza Schouler

Proenza Schouler is aNew York based modern luxury fashion label founded in 2002 by designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. The label produces womenswear and accessories.

The name Proenza Schouler is a combination of the designers mothers maiden names.

McCollough and Hernandez met at Parson's The New School for Design in 1998, they worked together on their final year thesis collection, which was bought in its entirety by Barneys New York.

After the success of their final year collection McCollough and Hernandez each went on to work with Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors and then came together to work on their graduation project. 

Proenza Schouler has gone from strength to strength since its beginnings in 2002, winning the CFDA Perry Ellis award for new talent in 2003, and the Vogue Fashion Fund award in 2004. 2007 saw the label win Womenswear Designer of the year award.




An array of fastenings inthe Proenza Schouler studio - Image by Tommy Ton.

 

Proenza Schouler's continuous success lies in the designers ability to create well made garments that can be worn by young and mature women. The clothing is sleek, uncomplicated and feminine. The use of colour and texture within the collections is clever as the garments simple silhouette along with detailed texture and bright ,colour means that they are versatile and can be worn alone or paired with something else.




Models wait backstage at the Proenza Schouler Spring Summer 2011 show

 

In 2008 the Valentino Group took a 45% stake in Proenza Schouler and in the same year the label launched their first collection of shoes and handbags. They were then awarded the 2009 CFDA Accessory Designer of the year award.





The Label uses simple elegant shapes and the designers are present at every stage of the designs.



McCollough and Hernandez are known for being hands on during the design phase

 

The collections use woven and printed textiles in the designs especially in the spring 2010 and 2011 collections. Woven textiles can be seen in the garments through to the shoes and handbags, adding texture and depth.




Beautifully crafted shoes with woven textiles.

 



Texture and colour, along with a simple , clean silhouette

 


Collection sketches from the Proenza Schouler Studio.



Proenza Schouler has been praised for its impeccable tailoring and craft with many Fashion Editors  commending the designers on the perfect construction of the clothing. Pieces from their collections can be seen on many Fashion week attendees.




Eye catching blazer and top on two Fashion week spectators.





Proenza Schouler is a label which shows any aspiring designer the fusion between impeccable tailoring and construction with textiles. Theirs is a formula which will see the labels continued success.

(All images in this post are by Photographer Tommy Ton)

Gareth Pugh

Sunderland-born fashion designer Gareth Pugh has been labeled by some as "the new Alexander McQueen", in part because of his extreme vision and dark theatrical aesthetic. His collections are made up of gothic themes thought up from his squat in Peckham - his imagination and enthusiasm is what draws people to his shows. Gareth Pugh was featured at Fashion East showcasing his designs alongside heavyweights John Galliano and Karl Lagerfeld. 

Pugh completed an Art Foundation course at City of Sunderland College in June 2000, following which he attended Central Saint Martins. He graduated in 2003 and in 2005 marked his London Fashion Week debut as part of Fashion East - with which he showed again in September that year.

2006

In 2006, he had his first solo show at London Fashion Week, in conjunction with On|Off and NEWGEN sponsorship. Also in that same year Pugh staged a series of live performances on SHOWstudio entitled Fash Off. Later that year, cult East London club Boombox hosted a London Fashion Week party for the designer and presented his second Topshop NEWGEN-sponsored show in September 2006. His fall 2006 collection is shown below: 

Fall 2006

2007

In 2007, Pugh worked his magic with Moet, designing a key pass for its room at LFW - the first of many Moet collaborations.The designer presented his work as part of the Victoria & Albert Museum's Fashion In Motion showcase in 2007. In August of the same year, his collections went on sale for the first time. Iconic London boutique Browns Focus hosted a Halloween party with Pugh in October 2007.

Fall 2007

2008

2008 saw Pugh turn model, joining Agyness Deyn in a shoot with Mario Testino for American Vogue. That same year, his work appeared in Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy at The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In July 2008, the designer scooped the ANDAM fashion award, winning himself 150,000 euros and a show in Paris in the process which he presented in September of that year. 

Fall 2008

2009/2010/2011

Gareth Pugh opened his first menswear show in Paris in January 2009 and his first standalone store opened in Hong Kong in August 2010. "I would never in a million years think that I had been to Hong Kong last summer to open my shop. It was all very odd. It's small and perfectly formed, slap-bang between Comme des Garcons and Gucci," said the designer following its opening.

In January 2011, Pugh was the guest designer at Italian trade show Pitti, where he presented a special collection via video installation in collaboration with producer Ruth Hogben. "To be invited as a special guest to their event is really quite an honour," said Pugh.

Fall 2011

Rick Owens

  

Rick Owens was born in California America in 1962. He dropped out of Art school in the 1980's.Initially he worked as a cutter is a shop that made fast copies of successful garments. He started making garments under his own name in 1994 in Los Angeles

He began to embrace courtesy when an picture of Kate Moss shot by Corrianne Day and styled by Panos Yiapanis appeared in Vogue Paris, featuring a single of Owens’ propitious unsettled tanned hide Jackets. He showed his initial runway pick up in Sep 2002 during New York Fashion Week with the await of American Vogue and Anna Wintour, who additionally featured him and his troubadour Kembra Pfahler in a widespread shot by Annie Leibovitz. 

Fall 2002

 

The following season Owens launched his menswear collection, showing it alongside his women’s wear in his Spring/Summer 2003 runway show. After his second runway show in New York, Owens made the decision to move the studio from Los Angeles to Paris and show during the Paris collections.

Spring/Summer 2003

In 1994 he began his own label, selling exclusively to Charles Gallay, a now defunct L.A. boutique that stocked Margiela, Mugler, and Alaïa. In 1999, his line landed in Barneys, and by 2002 he had been recognized by the CFDA with a Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent. The move to Paris followed shortly thereafter—along with an appointment as the artistic director of Revillon, the long-established luxury furrier. Owens opened his first stateside boutique in Manhattan's Tribeca in 2008, salving the spirits of American admirers with abandonment issues.

The American-born, Paris-based designer Rick Owens is not a one-note goth. On the contrary, he is an avant-garde romantic with a knack for highlighting the beauty of imperfections. It's a talent well suited to his savagely sophisticated rock couture. Owens' asymmetrical dresses; long, clingy T-shirts; and embellished outerwear have been seen on hard/soft types like Courtney Love and Madonna, and the designer's fan club buys up his clothes with a cultlike alacrity. Rick Owens Fall/Winter 2011/2012 Collection can be seen below.

Donna Karan New York (DKNY)

Donna Karan is a fashion designer known for designing simple, elegant, comfortable clothing. She gained notoriety with collections designed to give businesswomen an alternative to traditional business suits. Using a neutral colour palette, her collections contain less than 10 basic pieces. It's a "system of dressing" that makes it easy for women to get dressed, according to Karan.

Background

Donna Karan was born 1949, in Queens, New York. She grew up in Long Island with her step-father who was a tailor and her mother who was a model. Being trained at Parson's School of Design, she entered the busines herself, designing for Anne Klein. Eventually she became head of the Anne Klein design-team and remained in this position until 1984.

She collected 3 Coty Awards (The American Fashion Designer’s version of the Oscar) during the time she was with Anne Klein.

Career

In 1985, she left Anne Klein and founded her own company. At first she became known for her line of elastic bodies. Then word spread about her Essentials line, offering seven easy pieces every woman should have in her closet. The Essentials line became a success and the seven pieces were broadened to about 200 pieces today. Her aim was to dress women in comfort, to liberate them from the confines of Eighties power suits.

The introduction of her DKNY collection in 1988 marks the beginning of a period of amazing growth of the company. Thought of as a bridge collection, DKNY has developed to be the pillar of the Donna Karan business. DKNY is a modern, moderately-priced young collection, drawing from the spirit of big city life.

The shoe collection came around in 1989. Donna Karan shoes are designed for modern women. The collection has both trendy forward-thinking designs as well as timeless silhouettes that are essentials to every woman’s wardrobe. Known for both quality and comfort, Donna Karan shoes are crafted from the finest material and considered by many people to be must-haves. Donna Karan shoes include styles like pumps, sandals, flats, and boots, and are loved by women worldwide.

In mid-1997 Donna Karan herself resigned from the position as CEO of the company. Donna Karan remains in the company as chaiwoman and designer in charge. John Idol, who used to be with the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation is now Chief Executive Officer of the company.













Collection Lines 
Donna Karan has made numerous collection lines within her career which are all shown below:

Donna Karan Essentials, now Donna Karan Signature

Donna Karan Collection

Donna Karan Intimates 

Donna Karan Kids

D by DKNY

 

DKNY Jeans

DKNY Classics 

DKNY Active

 

In August 2008, Donna Karan relaunched her discontinued fragrance lines from the 1990s. These include DK Fuel for Men, Signature, Chaos, and Black Cashmere. They are available exclusively in the United States at Bergdorf Goodman, Manhattan and at Harrod’s, Knightsbridge, London.

Chronology

1948: Born.

1974: Promoted head designer at Anne Klein and launched legendary Seven Easy Pieces.

1977: Won the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award and once again in 1982.

1982: Karan created Anne Klein II, originating the concept of bridge and lifestyle dressing in fashion.

1985: Left Anne Klein and founded Donna Karan New York.

1989: Came the shoe collection from DKNY

1992: Emerged DKNY Men Collection of Cashmere suits and sports wear the following year.

2001: Karan introduced a Donna Karan New York Home collection.

2008: Relaunched her discontinued fragrance lines from the 1990s.

Jil Sander

Jil Sander is synonymous with minimalism

Jil Sander was born 1943 in Germany. She studied textile design in Krefeld and graduated as a textile engineer in 1963. In 1973 Sander launched her first womens wear collection. 

She is famous for her contemporary, somewhat odd, New Look, that originally was intended for women conquering executive positions in the 1980s. Over the years she has developed a reputation of being a perfectionist who needs to control everything. In her clothes you can see her meticulous accuracy in every line and every cut. The garments are exquisite in every detail. 

SS 2011

In 1978 her Company JIL SANDER Gmbh was founded. And in 1993 Sander opened her flagship store in Paris.

  

In 1997 the first JIL SANDER men´s collection premiered in Milan. It was a unique fusion of modern masculinity and refined craftsmanship.

This is her Fall/Winter Menswear Collection 11/12.

In 2000 Sander sold 75% of her label to Prada in hopes, she said, of expanding her shoe and accessories businesses.

But she and Prada chief Patrizio Bertelli clashed, and Sander left after only four months.

In summer 2005 the designer Raf Simons was appointed as creative director for the Jil Sander label.

Raf Simons



Accessory collection



Handmade Boots

In 2007 The JIL SANDER Group revamped its shoe/bag/accessory business with its Fall/Winter 07/08 collection.

Early on Sander managed to master the basics. She is famous for her jackets and trousers, the perfect cashmere V-neck, the ultimate white shirt, the go-to pantsuit. She has established a clientele that was fiercely loyal to her look: Verging on austere, it was always enlivened by intriguing cuts or experimental fabrics. 

The fall/winter collection feels timeless and chic. With her beautiful cuts and bold colours she managed to create unique pieces.

For her single-minded focus on understated elegance, high-end materials and refined tailoring, Sander has been described as the Queen of Less, Cashmere-Queen, Master of Minimalism, Cool Blonde, Gentle-Jil or Fashion Reductionist.

Womens wear collection Autumn Winter 2011-2012

 

Yohji Yamamoto

Yohji Yamamoto

Yohji Yamamoto was born in Tokyo,Japan in 1943. Yohji studied law before attending the Bunka fashion college in Tokyo. In 1977 he presented his first collection in Tokyo, in 1981 in Paris and then presented the collection in New York.

Yohji is known as a designer who creates the most simple dark garments but with high and unique quality with beautiful finishing. In 1986 he received the 4^th Mainichi fashion award in Tokyo.

Yohji is an avant garde fashion designer. His own line is quite popular in Tokyo, but his collaborations with other companies from Adidas to Hermes, have helped to make him a house hold name.

Yamamoto is known for an avant-garde spirit in his clothing, frequently creating designs far removed from current trends. His signature oversized silhouettes in black often feature drapery in varying textures.

Swathes of tartan combined into a tailored jacket

Layer upon layer of gathered black creating textured volume

There are elements of the past in Yohji's work, this skirt has a distinctly victorian look in the drape and gathers.

Yohji Yamamoto's collections are often percieved as dark but he makes use of colour sparingly as the focus is on the cut of the clothing.

The impact of Yamamoto's style of design in the fashion industry has seen many people take a keen interest in japanese pattern cutting. His simple lines and structured garments mean that the clothing is about function as well as fashion.

pleated silk crepe dress

Yohji wedding dress