I think it would be fair to say that Proenza Schouler is a brand looking for its Next Big Thing, accessory-wise. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez proved their handbag bonafides with the PS1 and PS11 and have, and the success of those two designs increased the brand’s profile and power in huge ways. The duo has continued its accessories success since then, but once you have a huge hit, I’m betting it’s pretty hard to stop reaching for another.
Enter the brand’s Spring 2016 runway show, which took place earlier this week in NYC. There was only one bag featured in the presentation: a medium-sized, chain-strapped shoulder bag with a flap closure and modified PS1 hardware. The brand presented it in flat leathers, patchwork exotics and with embellishments like studs and appliques, and it looked pretty good in all of them.
Although Proenza Schouler’s line doesn’t lack shoulder bags, it felt like a strong addition; hardware has always been one of PS’s strong suits when it comes to brand recognition, and the squared chain links and hollowed front closure would fit well in the brand’s hardware pantheon. Consumers tend to like a leather insert in chain shoulder straps for comfort reasons, though, so we’ll see in a few months if that stops anyone.
Check out all the runway versions of the bag below.
[Photos via Vogue Runway]
