NYFW: Rachel Scott unveils vision for Proenza Schouler

When Rachel Scott was appointed to the creative helm of Proenza Schouler last year, founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez were eager for their brand to enter a new chapter. As the designer duo moved on to Loewe, they left Schouler in the hands of Scott, a Jamaican-American designer through whom they saw an opportunity to bring a “global design perspective” to the label, alongside “vast technical knowledge and a distinctive new voice”.

Scott had already made a name for herself under her own brand Diotima, a NYFW regular that had received notable accolades since its founding in 2021 – namely the 2024 CFDA American Womenswear Designer of the Year Award. Through Diotima, Scott weaved elements of Jamaican craftsmanship into a contemporary wardrobe, reinterpreting traditional Caribbean techniques as a means to champion slow fashion.

This approach seemingly carried into what was her debut collection for Proenza Schouler. Aptly titled ‘The First Women’s Collection by Rachel Scott’, the AW26 line served as a love letter to women, specifically those of New York. In its entirety, the collection is almost presented as a whole wardrobe, with pieces ranging from eveningwear to officewear to more casual attire.

McCollough and Hernandez’s initial signatures remain partially intact, particularly in the presence of sleek tailoring, evident in flared pant suits and structured co-ords. Scott also took into account the global nature of the Schouler woman, which she sees as someone who doesn’t prioritise a sleek appearance, and therefore would be drawn to the twisted silhouettes of gowns, fringed shoes, and button-down structuring.