Proenza Schouler
United States
Proenza Schouler is a New York luxury womenswear and accessories brand founded in 2002 by Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. The privately held company entered a new era in 2025 when the founders left to design Loewe and Rachel Scott was appointed creative director.
| Founded | 2002, New York |
|---|---|
| Founders | Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez |
| Creative director | Rachel Scott (since 2025) |
| CEO | Shira Suveyke Snyder (since 2024) |
| Ownership | Privately held |
| Signature product | PS1 bag (2008) |
| Website | proenzaschouler.com |
What is Proenza Schouler?
Proenza Schouler is an American luxury fashion house based in New York, known for sharp, modern womenswear and leather goods, most famously the PS1 satchel. The name combines the mothers' maiden names of its two founders, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez.
History
McCollough and Hernandez met at Parsons School of Design, and their 2002 graduate collection was bought by Barneys New York. In 2004 they won the inaugural CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. The PS1 bag, launched in 2008, became the brand's signature product. Stores followed on Madison Avenue in 2012 and in SoHo in 2013, and from 2017 the brand moved its runway shows from New York to Paris for several seasons.
Ownership has changed several times. Valentino Fashion Group bought a 45 percent stake in 2007, and private equity firm Castanea Partners acquired a minority interest in 2015 before the founders bought back those shares in 2018. In January 2025 McCollough and Hernandez stepped down as creative directors and later became co-creative directors of Loewe; they remain minority shareholders and board members. Designer Rachel Scott, founder of the label Diotima, was named creative director in 2025 and presented her first collection in February 2026. Shira Suveyke Snyder has been chief executive since 2024.
Products and positioning
The brand focuses on womenswear and handbags at luxury price points, with a more casual White Label line introduced in 2017. Footwear, swimwear and fragrance have been developed through licensing, including a fragrance licence with L'Oréal from 2015.
Business model and distribution
- Wholesale: more than 350 retailers worldwide, including Bergdorf Goodman, Harvey Nichols, Le Bon Marché and Lane Crawford
- Own stores: New York boutiques
- E-commerce: direct online sales
- Licensing: fragrance and selected categories
Why it matters
Proenza Schouler was one of the defining New York labels of the 2000s and 2010s. Its transition from founder-led design to a new creative director is a closely watched test of whether an independent American brand can outlive the departure of its founding designers.
Frequently asked questions
Who designs Proenza Schouler now?
Rachel Scott, founder of the label Diotima, was appointed creative director in 2025 and presented her first collection in February 2026. The founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez left the design studio in January 2025 to lead Loewe.
Where is Proenza Schouler from?
Proenza Schouler is an American brand founded in New York in 2002 by Parsons graduates Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. It remains headquartered in New York.