Proenza Schouler Does the Art Thing

by Bee-Shyuan Chang (Subscribe to Bee-Shyuan Chang's posts)
Posted Jun 19th 2009 at 4:00PM

The art of fashion: Kembra Pfahler and The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black performs for Proenza Schouler's presentation. Photo courtesy of Proenza Schouler

We have television actresses moonlighting as pop singers, rappers who double as movie stars, so why not fashion designers as fine artists? (Not that we don't consider fashion fine art!)

Proenza Schouler's first show overseas, consisted of a presentation that was partly fashion but mostly art exhibit.

As the guest designers for this year's Pitti W in Florence, Italy, designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough (you know, the guy on the receiving end of Kiefer Sutherland's infamous head-butt) veered away from the usual runway route.

Instead, the design duo partnered with the Art Production Fund to create an art project for their Pre-Spring/Summer 2010 collection.

Hernandez and McCollough have often cited art influences in their designs, including work drawing from the 1960s and post-minimalism, but for their Pitti W showing, they teamed with a trio of decidedly contemporary artists.

Proenza Schouler's first show overseas! From left to right: designer Jack McCollough, Liya Kebede and designer Lazaro Hernandez. Photo courtesy of Proenza Schouler

Along with showing a bit of menswear, the presentation featured the works of video artist Kalup Linzy, sculptor Haim Steinbach and performance artist Kembra Pfahler and The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black. Pitti W also partnered with The Corner for an exclusive video of how the project came together.

All three artists are based in New York, but you know how the fashion set likes to travel in packs.

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