The year was 2008. Barak Obama was elected into the White House, Beyoncé and Jay-Z tied the knot, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were still an item (and had just given birth to twins), and the very first Twilight movie was released to massive fanfare. Receiving equally as much fanfare in the handbag world in 2008 was Proenza Schouler’s PS1 bag. It was an instant hit when it was first released.
Created by Proenza’s founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, at the time, the bag’s casual cool schoolbag feel was a welcomed change to other of-the-moment bag shapes. Its name plays off of the schoolbag silhouette, paying homage to the naming formula of New York City public schools. The PS1 has been released in multiple iterations over its 12 year lifespan, from various shapes and sizes, to colors, exotic skins and more. Of course, our favorite celebs got their hands on a slew of Proenza’s most iconic designs. Take a look below at the many PS1s celebs carried back in the bag’s heyday.