New York Fashion Week: At Proenza Schouler, the schoolgirl grows up

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There has been a lot of good-looking sportswear here this week, but there haven’t been a lot of inventive clothes. Most designers have stepped in line behind Marc Jacobs and Celine’s Pheobe Philo, reinterpreting the cleaned-up fall collections and longer-length skirts they showed back in February (which are in stores now) for spring.

Which is why Lazaro Hernandez’s and and Jack McCollough’s Proenza Schouler collection was a total delight. It was ladylike to suit spring’s new mood (with longer skirts and tweedy suits, natch), but it was also wildly creative.

The designers’ popular tie-dyed T-shirts morphed into lovely, body-skimming shibori-dyed crinkly silk dresses in pale ice cream shades (apricot, lavender and ivory).

Gone were those schoolgirl skirts from seasons past. In their place were softer takes on the ladylike suit in terrycloth tweed that snuggled the body.

Sitting front row in Proenza Schouler’s schoolgirl skirt, a tight, midriff-baring sweater and fierce-looking ankle boots, ‘Gossip Girl’ Leighton Meester looked like she wanted to reach for a towel.

Girls, it’s time to grow up and cover up!

Not that this collection was staid by any means -- the tweeds came in techno-bright color combinations. And the sensational guipure lace finale dresses looked like someone let loose on them with a can of Silly String.

Awesome.

-- Booth Moore in New York

Proenza Schouler spring - summer 2011 runway collection photo gallery