profile: PROENZA SCHOULER

 Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough

The young and luxury brand, Proenza Schouler, by Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough to the MA flock.

Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough have been percived as boy wonders ever since their collaboration for the senior thesis project at Parsons, New York. 

The talented young team delivered a collection that gave such a resounding success that the pair co-founded their own label after graduation in 2002 and named it after their mothers’ maiden names.

Before their thesis, McCollough worked as an intern under Marc Jacobs and Hernandez as an intern under Michale Kors.

Since there debut in 2002 the duo has received high praises and a loyal clientele with their numerous hit collections and a rep as one of fashion’s most talked about labels. This was awarded in 2003 with the CFDA Perry Ellis Award for new talent. 

photo: style.com

THE BRAND

Proenza Schouler offers and edgy, youthful take on upscale dressing. Their shapes are often minimal and sleek, with a preference to the dark neutral colors.

Representativ pieces include tailored coats in lush menswear pattern prints, thin pencil skirts, color-blocked chiffon evening gowns cinched with satin belts.

Proenza Schouler is a true supplement and continuation of the modern and futuristic take for the followers of Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga. With an approach to tailoring that refers to a classical and body conscious cut, with lines that take on a simple, elegant yet sporty form in lush materials. The pieces represent a “nonchalant luxury” with the combination of simple neutrals with dramatic colors. 

Their philosophy and take on womenswear was in 2007 awarded with the CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year Award (which they shared with Oscar de la Renta). 

photo by Tommy Ton

COLLABORATION

The designers of Proenza Schouler have been involved in several collaborations and events. Amongst these, the special collaboration event with the cult store, Colette in Paris.

For this collaboration, Proenza Schouler designed a line of handbags to be introduced at Colette. The result was a scholar-inspired satchel, none as the PS1 messenger handbag.

The collection of PS1 messenger handbags has already been cultivating a loyal fashion following. Resulting in the PS1 becoming a fix feature in Proenza Schoulers’ collections, changing only in material and color.

In august of 2009 Proenza Schouler was awarded with the CFDA accessory designer of the year for their PS1 handbag which was considered the very first must have item of 2009. 

Today Proenza Schouler are currently collaborating with Giuseppe Zanotti for their line of shoes which expanded to a 100 shoes in the spring of 2009.

Visite www.proenzaschouler.com to discover the spring 2010 collection or at www.style.com

PROENZA SCHOULER to come in the spring of 2010 exclusively at MA.

MA NEWS IN STORE

With the illuminating photoshoot by Nick Knight for POP magazine with the spring 2006 collection of Balenciaga we give the flock news of the arrival of new items from Balenciaga.

Stella Stella...

walk over here and take the lead MA flock

Stella McCartney in store now at MA

The spiritual awakening

Catherine Michiels in store now exclusively at MA

Le Bon Marché - BALENCIAGA.EDITION

Dress in cloqué of silk from fall/winter 1966

From septembre 11 to octobre 5, la maison Balenciaga is in exclusivety for LE BON MARCHE rive gauche exposing a selection of pieces from the line " BALENCIAGA.EDITION". 

In 2004  Nicolas Ghèsquiere and the studio of creation of BALENCIAGA took from the archives of la maison 17 models of the haute couture of Cristobal Balenciaga dated from 1932 to 1967. These pieces were used in the research of texture/material and technique for the contemporary making.

In this occasion you may also discover the jewelry of BALENCIAGA dated from the same époque collections.

This exposition permits one to discover the intemporal style of the creations signé couturier Cristobal Balenciaga.

Stand Balenciaga - L'appartement de Mode, 1st floor.

Victory Garden BALENCIAGA

For the september issue of US Vogue, Steven Meisel shot a beautifull picture featuring creations from Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghésquiere fall/winter 09-10 collection.

BALENCIAGA haute couture coming soon in store exclusviely at MA

profile: Catherine Michiels

To Catherine Michiels, jewelry making is an art.

Taken and evolved from nomadic travels, Michiels intentions in the jewelry making builds on a spiritual and social meaning. Hence the work transcends jewelry, as art, as spirituality. Connecting the spirituality in the creations and combining it with Michiels Reiki training, an ancient japanese discipline, the result becomes pieces with a vision.

Reiki uses the flow of energy to reduce stress, this promotes relaxation and healing. Hence to Michiels work, jewelry becomes symbols of beauty and spiritual awakening. A consciousness shared by those who wear them and connect with her vision and aesthetic.

The pieces in the ‘Recognition’ collection refer to the passion of the designer. On a silk ribbon around the wrist or neck, we wear the ‘Charms’ that responds to us. A ‘Zinia’ symbolizes friendship, the ‘Lotus’ stands for purity and peace while Le Petit Marcel attracts luck and meetings.

With Catherine Michiels, the spirit and the spiritual shift to the border of fashion and dream. 

Trained at the Arts of Metiers Institute in Brussels, Michiels studied gemology and diamond grading at the prestigious High Council for Diamonds in Antwerp.

Michiels started making jewelry in Brussels in 1992. In the later of the 90’s Michiels went on working for the magazines, Marie Claire and Elle as in the film production for several years. This resulted in the creation and founding of the magazine, Moderne, which Michiels published for 2 years.

 

Michiels returned to designing and creating jewelry in 2005 by launching a line that has since earned acclaim and helped spread her vision of spiritual and social responsibility. 

The Belgian designer's 4 year-old business thrived on chance meetings and word of mouth in the beginning, and despite clients within the Hollywood elite and other high profiled personas Michiels intends to keep it that way. A philosophy that is highly shared with MA.

Catherine Michiels coming soon exclusively at MA

(photos/source, www.catherinemichiels.com)

COFFRET DE L'ESPACE

The ‘Odeurs Spatiales’ set of three candles, brings together conceptual smells created by contemporary french artist Philippe Parreno. 

Looking to the future, Parreno tried to imagine the smells of Space, the Moon and Mars. 

Contained in limited edition hand-blown black glasses, each selection comes in a limited edition of black presentation box.

ODEUR DE LUNE 

The smell of the Moon. Based on the NASA soil samples analyses, Cire Trudon created a dark and modern scent blending Metallic notes, Smoked Woods and Carbon.

ODEUR DE MARS 

The smell of the Red Planet. Mixing Gun powder, Sulphur, Menthol, Woods and Olibanum it is a captivating and unusual smell, the smell of the future?

ODEUR DE L’ESPACE 

The smell imagines a Space delicately scented with Spearmint, Pepper, Amber and Woods. A light and ethereal smell, just like Space itself.

Take a spatial exploration with

Odeurs spatiales limited edition in store now exclusively at MA. 

(photo/source, Maison Cire Trudon)