Proenza Schouler Designers Charm at The Room at the Bay in Toronto

Blogger Kimberly Lyn, Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, blogger Nelia Belkova and me

Last night, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the designers behind womenswear and accessories label Proenza Schouler, dropped by for a visit at The Room at the Bay in Toronto and charmed the pants off the city’s fashion set. Bringing with them pieces from their Fall 2011 collection, the duo made the 200+ crowd swoon with their obvious design talent and – let’s face it – boyish good looks and down-to-earth charm. Most of us present, including yours truly, were reduced to schoolgirls with crushes.

I had the pleasure of meeting Jack and Lazaro, and wish I could tell you that there was witty banter or intelligent debate. Unfortunately, all I can recall of my starstruck moment was a cheery “Welcome to Toronto!” on my part, some discussion around how gorgeous and comfortable Nelia Belkova’s Proenza shoes are, and a hurried group photo session snuck in before the rest of the partygoers lost patience. There was the shaking of hands too and, needless to say, I haven’t washed my right hand since. I kid, of course.

Boyband-like appeal aside, the designers’ Spring and Fall 2011 collections were intriguing in their own right. There were PS1 bags galore, but what stole this fan’s heart was a certain printed neon yellow top, spotted on a lucky mannequin, and the matching tweed skirt on The Room’s Megan Loach. Proenza or not though, reception attendees showed up in their surprisingly colourful Tuesday best, taking full advantage of the city’s scorching temperatures (finally!) to don their couped-up summer fare, with Liz Cabral’s Prada SS10 printed beach scene skirt and Suzanne Rogers’ Rodarte SS11 Ming print dress leading the charge.

As for me, I deemed my Proenza Schouler Fall 2011 pieces entirely too warm for the 40-degree weather and settled for a 3.1 Phillip Lim dress and silver patent Louboutins to match. I don’t think Lazaro and Jack minded though – there were far too many usually too-cool-for-Schoul fashion folks fawning over them for them to notice anyway.

Proenza Schouler’s signature PS1 bags in black and raspberry suede

Stylist Tricia Campbell Hall, Kimberly Lyn and blogger Anita Clarke

Blogger Tommy Ton, DJ Diego Armand and Civello’s Kristjan Hayden, flanked by the blogging Beckerman sisters

National Post’s Shinan Govani and FLARE’s Mosha Lundström-Halbert

FLARE’s Liz Cabral in a Prada SS10 skirt and YSL pumps

The Proenza boys and yours truly

Wear Erdem (far right) and I’ll harrass you for a shot any day of the week!

Suzanne Rogers (left) in a Rodarte Spring 2011 Ming print dress (as featured on The Coveteur)

Alexander McQueen snakeskin shoes are always worth a snap…overpowering feathers and fascinator or not.

The Room’s Megan Loach in a Proenza Schouler SS11 neon tweed skirt

The Sidewalk Hustle dream team, (camera-shy) Tristan Banning and Hawley Dunbar

My very own Kodak moment with Lazaro!

Congrats to the team at the Bay on another party worth writing home about! First they bring to The Room a whole gaggle of British designers, then L’Wren Scott, then Thakoon…who’s next?

xx, S