Proenza

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Schouler
 ANDREEA POPA
BA FASHION MARKETING & COMMUNICATION
LEVEL 5, 2020-2021
MODULE TITLE: 5FAMK003C VISUAL AND VID-
EO TECHNIQUES
SUBJECT COURSEWORK: CWK1
TEACHER: NICOLAS GODON

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INDEX
01 - C O R P O R ATE P ROF IL E
02 - MA R K E T P OSITION
03 - C U R R E N T SITUATION
04 - C O M MU N I CATION BACKG ROUND
05 - T H E ME S S AG E
06 - TA R G E T M ARKE T
07 - GOALS
08 - W H E R E T O L OOK F OR INSP IRATION
09 - W H AT N O T TO DO
10 - EDITORIAL
11 - LOOKBOOK
12 - SITE
13 - B I B L I O G R A P HY
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01 - CORPORATE PROFILE
Proenza Schouler is a womenswear and accessories luxury brand
founded in 2002 in New York out of a senior thesis of two former
Parsons School of Design students, Jack McCollough and Lazaro
Hernandez. The label is named after the two designers’ mothers’
maiden names, Proenza being the maiden name of Hernandez’
mother and Schouler that of McCollough’s mother. Proenza Schoul-
er’s signature is its craftmanship and attention to detail, all cov-
ered with a refined ease. The Proenza garments are recognized by
their structured tailoring and soft draping, the brand’s inspiration
being drawn from contemporary art and youth culture. The brand
has played an important role in reinvigorating American fashion.

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02 – MARKET POSITION
Proenza Schouler is positioned
as a high value contemporary
brand, with key competitors
such as Marc Jacobs, Celine
and Alexander Wang. The main
focus is building a strong inde-
pendent business, without the
help of a huge conglomerate like
LVMH or Kering behind them.
VIsually, the brand has been
compared numerous times with
well-known New York label Al-
exander McQueen, making it
one of its most avid competitors
and putting Proenza in a posi-
tion of constantly needing to im-
prove its visual language in or-
der to speak to new consumers .
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03 - CURRENT SITUATION

The company’s direct-to-consumer business is currently prof-
itable, and their professional goals do not necessarily include
building a billion-dollar company, as stated by the brand de-
signer, Lazaro Hernandez. However, the brand is in need of
constant innovation to be able to maintain their high spot in the
current fast-changing fashion industry. In terms of increasing
global brand recognition, it is always smart to bring about new
areas of the brand, expanding it within new labels, partnerships
and collections. For Proenza Schouler, a big opportunity is rep-
resented by their missing menswear sector. As a relatively new
brand with the main focus on luxury womenswear and acces-
sories, the brand would become a lot more relevant and rec-
ognized by targeting the contemporary mens fashion as well.

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04 – COMMUNICATION
BACKGROUND
Proenza Schouler’s communication is
realized both offline, through fashion
shows in New York, their physical store
in Soho, and online, through their var-
ious social media platforms and also
well-known campaigns. After trying
Paris Fashion Week for two seasons,
the brand decided to relocate to New
York City, however taking inspiration
from Paris and bringing about more
couture to their design techniques.
The visual and communicational effort
of the brand is that of transmitting ur-
ban-cool aesthetic, inspired by contem-
porary art and youth culture. They are
hugely recognized for their impeccably
crafted collections, and their best-sell-
ing product, luxury shoes. The aim of
the label is to continue to innovate and
promote their luxury New York down-
town cool garments. All their advertis-
ing reflects that and keeps a simple
yet contemporary aesthetic, attention
to detail and craftmanship. The brand
is placed in high- ranking fashion
publishing such as Vogue Magazine
and Business of Fashion. Their online
communication is active and appeal-
ing to the contemporary consumer.
The brand is present on numerous so-
cial media platforms, including their
most followed platform, the Proen-
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 za Schouler Instagram, where among the promotion of their latest campaigns and new prod-
ucts, they also share inspiration behind their brand aesthetic, in order to communicate with
the consumer. Their other platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest help
add significance to the Proenza Schouler product, while also promoting it in a realistic way.

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05 – THE MESSAGE

The Proenza Schouler label is recognized for its craft-

manship and contemporary style. Although it has had
huge growth in the past couple of years, the brand
needs constant innovation in order to survive in the
current fashion world. According to its current needs,
a new strategy would be to come up with a menswear
collection. This update will help propel the brand’s im-
age and expand their target market, broadening its
products and enlarging their base of consumers. The
collection will inevitably be followed by a campaign,
encompassing all of the brand’s qualities and rising
awareness of men’s values in the modern world. The
designs take great inspiration from the 30s New York
men’s fashion, featuring large coats, classical button
vests, ties, tuxedos, pointed lacquered and Oxford-style
shoes and knitted berets, all adapted with contempo-
rary style. The collection is addressed towards modern
working men either from the city or worldwide, in search
of being up-to-date with present-day high fashion.

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06 – THE TARGET MAR-
KET
The target in reach is the fol-
lowing; men, age between
21-35, employment in the art
industry, business corpora-
tion, or even politics, target-
ed towards men living in New
York City although available
worldwide, luxury lifestyle.
07 – GOALS
First and foremost, as the
collection is a first for Proen-
za Schouler, one of the main
goals is to get first feedback
from the consumer, in order
to understand the perception
and opinion in regards to the
collection, and ideally find out
where it needs enhancement,
to take it further. The label’s
main interest is to find where
they stand within the mens-
wear sphere, get a clearer
view in terms of aesthetic, di-
rectly from consumer, but also
in relation to its competitors in
the menswear sector such as
Dior, or Helmut Lang.
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08 – WHERE TO LOOK FOR INSPIRATION

30s mens fashion

Streamline era
Dystopian future
“Gattaca” movie
Futuristic minimalism
Vibrant abstract art

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What the client wants to achieve with the collection is a perfect blend
between a past visual: that of the beginning of mens high fashion back
from the 30s and an imagination of the future: a tech-driven, dystopian
future. The collection is something that relates the two times and cre-
ates an entirely separate visual that appeals to the contemporary man:
a mix of past and future for the present-day modern man.

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Regarding the aesthetic, a key
element for the client would
be to ensure its fidelity to-
wards a minimalistic aesthetic
with a modern feel, continuing
its visual identity as a brand.
Shot by photographer David
Sims, the label’s SS13 cam-
paign featured attire inspired
by the digital world around a
vibrant, abstract background.
Take it as an example of the
visual concept the label is try-
ing to bring back to life for their
first menswear campaign.
Color is one of the most well-
known stereotype in cloth-
ing by gender. This has
changed over the years as
designers have started to
incorporate vivid colors in
male clothing, soemthing not
seen much after the Renais-
sance and Rococo times. As
a modern high-fashion label
targeting the menswear sec-
tor, Proenza Schouler is try-
ing to incorporate color into
its collection and campaign.
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Similarly, Proenza Schouler has previously approached
the digital world inspired theme for their FW13 collec-
tion, this time covering the campaign in a darker, moodi-
er tone and featuring the planet of birds, in particular the
pitch black crow, envisioning an unlit, yet powerful collection.

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 09 – WHAT NOT TO DO

It is most important to understand Proenza Schouler’s position and identi-

ty as a brand, and not corrupt its elegance and attention to detail. The most
important aspect of the collection is to understand the specific visual that the
label is trying to create, and not diverge into one direction further than need-
ed. For example, going in too much of an extreme idea of dystopia and cre-
ate something exaggerate, too complicated or too contemporary for Proenza
Schouler’s classic aesthetic. The collection at its core has to maintain an ele-
gant and somewhat polished look and feel, as to not deceit the brand’s identity.

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THE EDITORIAL
BRIEF
The editorial will be drawn first
and foremost by New York City,
the brand’s birthplace and con-
sistent source of inspiration,
showcasing the first ever Proenza
signed menswear through a del-
icate and elegant lens. The pic-
tures taken will convey the core
values of Proenza Schouler, that
of elegance and attention to de-
tail and will create a first look into
the brand’s vision of menswear.
The editorial will bring back pho-
tographer David Sims, who has
previously worked for the brand
in 2013. The models will include
carefully chosen models com-
ing from diverse backgrounds
and displaying a clean image,
stripted from the stereotypical
and open to interpretetation,
since Proenza is a brand that
embraces diversity and does not
give in to gender stereotypes.
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Photographer David Sims
Art Director Peter Miles
Makeup Artist Raisa Flowers
Hairstylist Tamas Tuzes
Fashion Editor/ Stylist Brain Molloy
Set Designer Julia Wagner
Models Connor Newall, Maxwell Annoh, Masamichi Nyunoya, Tom Kusturin
Location luxurious interior showcasing minimalist contemporary furniture pieces
such as mirrors and futuristic shaped vases and lighting elements

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Look & Feel
As for the look and feel of the ed-
itorial, for this collection Proenza
Schouler will follow clean guide-
lines and its familiar decadence
to create an immaculate portray-
al of contemporary men in search
of a classical, expensive and
most importantly unique look. It
will be shot in a luxurious inte-
rior showcasing minimalist con-
temporary furniture pieces such
as mirrors and futuristic shaped
vases and lighting elements.
However, it is noted that this is
only the background of the pho-
toshoot, the models themselves
will be following usual daily activ-
ities such as simply drinking wa-
ter and reading or experiencing
some deeper emotions such as
contemplation over the home ter-
race view. Each picture will focus
on a single subject, that being
the model immersed in whatever
activity they are assigned and in
a way it will leave interpretation
for modern men’s lifestyle dur-
ing the days of staying at home.
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 SKU: R2113015 SKU: R2113015 SKU: R2111006 SKU: R2111006
beige linen suit navy sleeveless top white sleeveless top sheer black top,
with black detailing with black detailing white cotton trousers

#FEFDEE #050103 #DCDCE1 #FEFFFF

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THE LOOKBOOK
Style

The lookbook will showcase the collection’s garments in a clean

and functional way, focusing on the craftmanship especially by
showing a closer view into the textiles used to create the garments.
Stunning images of futuristic architecture and abstract minimal-
ism will accompany the presentation of the garments themselves.
With the help of this lookbook, Proenza Schouler is trying to communi-
cate to the consumer in a visually pleasant way, creating and sharing
an effortless vision of the new collection. The lookbook will be shot in
entirety by photographer David Sims and will use previous unused
pictures of fine New York City architecture shot exclusively for Proenza,
as conceptual inspiration in between the garnment representation.

Concepts

Architecture New York city in the 30s, streamline era

Functionality clear presentation of the garments themselves
Abstract futuristic minimalism, vibrant abstract art.

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The Proenza Schouler minisite will be a place where the most loy-
al Proenza lovers will access in order to find the usual luxury and
suitable garments for their male partners, friends or acquaintanc-
es. These top loyal consumers are confident in the brand and its
products and their desire is to share that same value with their
loved ones of the masculine sex. Hence, the website will be di-
rectly addressed to them and through it the advertising will take
place naturally, the consumers themselves becoming the promot-
ers. This BtoB BtoC approach will end up attracting stylish men
with a positive preconceived knowledge of Proenza Schouler
and in turns make the brand more famous for its menswear.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Proenzaschouler.com. 2020. Proenza Schouler | About. [online] Avail-
able at: <https://www.proenzaschouler.com/ro/about> [Accessed 19
October 2020].

The Business of Fashion. 2020. Proenza Schouler: ‘We Don’T Have To Be
A Billion-Dollar Brand’. [online] Available at: <https://www.businessof-
fashion.com/articles/intelligence/proenza-schouler-we-dont-have-to-be-
a-billion-dollar-brand> [Accessed 19 October 2020].

Mower, S., 2020. Dior Men Fall 2019 Menswear Collection. [online]
Vogue. Available at: <https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2019-
menswear/dior-homme> [Accessed 31 October 2020].

Awake-smile.blogspot.com. 2020. AD CAMPAIGN: Proenza Schouler

Spring/Summer 2013: Julia Nobis & Irina Nikolaeva By David Sims. [on-
line] Available at: <https://awake-smile.blogspot.com/2013/01/ad-cam-
paign-proenza-schouler.html> [Accessed 2 November 2020].

Arc Street. 2020. PROENZA SCHOULER - FALL/WINTER 2013 AD

CAMPAIGN / PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID SIMS / - Arc Street
Journal. [online] Available at: <http://www.arcstreet.com/article-pro-
enza-schouler-fall-winter-2013-ad-campaign-photographed-by-david-
sims-119218854.html> [Accessed 2 November 2020].

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