The Day Before: Proenza Schouler

          This past summer, June-August 2013, I was able to study abroad in London. I was very excited and could not wait to embark on a trip of a lifetime. I knew that once I was in London I would want to travel some because once across the pond it was cheaper and easier to travel throughout Europe that from America. I had decided that I would take two different trips while I was abroad. One of the trips I was able to plan was to Paris with my good friend Lisa. We decided to go for a long weekend to get as much time in the city of lights as possible.

            I had been to Paris before, but never without parents and not with a fellow shopaholic like myself. We took in the sights, visited the main tourist attractions, and did some damage in the shops on the Champs-Élysées. One of the stores we knew we had to go into was Louis Vuitton, at least to get some photos, once inside we browsed and discovered a book and movie section. A fabulous French woman asked if we wanted some help and we began to ask about the various books and movies. Thirty minutes later I walked out of the store with a very heavy bag, a slightly worse off checking account, and three DVDs.

            Fast-forward to January 2014 and I had yet to open my purchases, which were three documentaries. Two of the DVD’s were set collections entitled, The Day Before and another documentary DVD called Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton. With some free time on my hands it was time to settle in and watch. I decided I would start with The Day Before and specifically I chose to watch the Proenza Schouler video. I was enticed from the first minute. The chaos, the designs, the models, and the history were captivating. The video focuses on the two designers, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, and their team 36 hours before a huge fashion show. The show was a success and throughout the video you learn just how much skill and time it takes for just a 15-minute show to be put together. The DVD set came with many other designers documentaries including: Versace, Diane von Furstenberg, Nina Ricci, Alexander Wang, Fendi, and a few others all focusing on the designers a day before their fashion shows. The documentaries really provide a sense of the passion and effort that is put forth to have a successful show.