p.s. i love you

Wow, finally, a jolt to the senses. A show that makes all the other shows look hopelessly repetitive. A show that does wearable without being boring or ordinary. Yep, it's my favourite designer duo Proenza Schouler.


Like all the other designers this week so far, the boys stuck to a fairly sombre colour palette of blacks and greys and the occasional flashes of smoky jewel tones. Unlike everyone else, they brought it elements of texture and craftmanship that just lifted everything out of the ordinary.


I love how they do luxe with everyday, nonchalant hand -

The coat is almost couture like in its shape and finish, but it has plenty of youthful kick; I think it's the short hemline and the knitted hat worn by the model.

By extension of the same idea, the pretty jet-beaded flapper dresses were perfectly paired with slouchy long knit cardigans -

It's also great that they've evolved their signatures without losing their sense of identity (something fellow young designer Derek Lam needs to work on); I love the bustier detail on this top -

They repeated the bustier and pleated panel thing to wonderful effect on these dresses -

I'm not really a fan of shoulder-heavy, 80s-ish looks, but this look is quite pliable to me, even if the taffeta fabric could be just a little too 80s' prom queen. I'm just glad to see something different from the limp, loose shapes being showed everywhere else - an alternative vision of things is always welcome.

For day, they did some very smart, somewhat sporty looks, featuring loose mannish trousers - the sort they used to do before they made the switch to narrow like everyone else did.

Great cut, but I'm not too convinced yet since I've always preferred a narrower pant. I do however like how they've managed to incorporate volume on top without drowning the models.

They always do a mean coat, and this season is happily no exception -

Loose but with shape, kind of like a man's overcoat, which is my favourite silhouette for coats. I do wish people would get over the whole cocoon thing - it's great as a concept but really, it just looks silly off a runway.

In short, a great collection from Proenza Schouler again, and it's so nice to be excited by new themes. This is not to say that I didn't like what other designers showed, it's just that fashion NEEDS variety, and repeating the same good thing really does dull the senses.

Pictures from www.style.com