Proenza Schouler

From senior thesis to fashion brand

Proenza Schouler is a New York based fashion and accessory brand founded in 2002 by the couple Jack McCollugh and Lazzaro Hernandez. The two designers met while studying at Parson’s School of Design in New York, and their senior thesis became the kick-off to their first collection for the brand we know today as Proenza Schouler.

Maiden names

The two fresh out of college designers did not have a long time to adjust to life in the fashion world before gaining success. All their designs from their senior thesis were purchased entirely by Barneys in New York, and so in the middle of it all they had to choose a name for their brand. The choice fell on their mothers’ maiden names, Proenza and Schouler.