Proenza Schouler, which was inspired by Abstract Expressionists of the New York School for its Fall-Winter 2015 collection, is bringing the canvases from its catwalk into the store.
As the clothes trickle into retail now, two of Helen Frankenthaler’s large-scale paintings, Freefall (1993) and Gateway (1988), will be up on display at Proenza Schouler’s Soho flagship (at 121 Greene Street in New York) for a week starting October 22.
Drawing heavily from Frankenthaler's drippy canvases, as well as minimalist sculptor Robert Morris' voluptuous wall hangings, Proenza Schouler’s creative directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez created a plethora of off-shoulder tops, knit dresses slashed at the midriff, and coats with twisty appendages or panels that seemed to peel away from the body — resulting in a mélange of raw, organic pieces that were cut and pieced together to create a feeling of movement and freedom.
The designers said Frankenthaler’s “instinctual and spontaneous approach to painting shaped the development process of the collection,” which focus was on “forward-looking clothes that speak to the woman of today.”
Partnering with the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, the New York label will also donate 15% of its sales for the week to the Helen Frankenthaler Scholarship Fund at the painter’s alma mater, Bennington College.
To view looks from Proenza Schouler’s Fall-Winter 2015 collection, click on the slideshow.
