How Bee Shaffer Got a Cow to Governors Island
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
When Barneys first called Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, they were just seniors at Parsons. “So we called the skinniest friend we had in college,” recalled Hernandez, and McCollough finished his sentence: “We were like, ‘You’re gonna wear some samples!’” As the legend goes, Barneys bought the entire collection, and a star label was born. A decade later, Barneys is rereleasing that first collection to celebrate Proenza’s ten-year anniversary at the store. Last night, Barneys CEO Mark Lee fêted the collaboration with a party at his Chelsea home.
So, how did other guests’ first post-college jobs compare to the overnight success of the Proenza boys? Anna Wintour’s daughter, Bee Shaffer, told the Cut she spent her first post-school summer smuggling a cow onto Governors Island, while Simon Doonan was forced to demolish old toilets with a sledgehammer. Read on for more amazing first-job horror stories and party pictures.
Lazaro Hernandez, Jack McCollough Is it weird to look at these designs now, ten years later? Going back and looking at old shows is like looking ...
Lazaro Hernandez, Jack McCollough Is it weird to look at these designs now, ten years later? Going back and looking at old shows is like looking at old photo albums of yourself. Some of those moments are like, Oh! I look so young and so good! And other moments are like, Oh my God. I can’t believe I looked like that. It’s weird to see some of those pieces again. But the first collection is actually one of those collections that we still love to this day, and it’s nice to know that it’s withstood the test of time.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Bee Shaffer Proenza Schouler was Jack and Lazaro’s first job out of college — what was yours? I was an assistant to a theater producer who was do...
Bee Shaffer Proenza Schouler was Jack and Lazaro’s first job out of college — what was yours? I was an assistant to a theater producer who was doing a theater festival on Governors Island. They were doing such strange stuff. One of my main tasks was getting a cow onto Governors Island and having it legally checked out. A Dutch cow? Not a Dutch cow. I think the cow came from Connecticut. It was very difficult, I remember, because the island required a lot of approvals. And it’s very hard to find a vet in New York City who treats bovine animals.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Julia Restoin Roitfeld Proenza Schouler started exactly a decade ago. How has your style changed over the past ten years? When you’re in New York...
Julia Restoin Roitfeld Proenza Schouler started exactly a decade ago. How has your style changed over the past ten years? When you’re in New York, you experiment more than when you’re in Paris. I was very classic when I arrived, and then I was like, Oh, wow. People don’t judge here. I can go crazy and experiment. And then I had a very hippie period with lots of, like, hippie dresses and high boots and stuff. And then it changed and became a little bit more feminine, a little bit more girly since I was out of school. But always heels, no matter what.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Simon Doonan What was your first job out of school? Well, the minute I got back from college, my mother sent me down to the power agency and I go...
Simon Doonan What was your first job out of school? Well, the minute I got back from college, my mother sent me down to the power agency and I got a job demolishing public toilets. It was so heinous and smelly, I can’t believe I didn’t get hepatitis doing it. And I lasted about three weeks demolishing these toilets and throwing bricks into wheelbarrows. It was incredibly butch, and very, very fetid and horrible. And I thought, This really isn’t me. So there was a hokey little department store in our town, and I got a job in the clocks and watches department, selling clocks and watches. But you’ve got to start somewhere. I had such insanely low expectations. Now I think people are bedeviled by high expectations. It’s so much easier when you’re coming at everything from the "demolishing public toilets" angle.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Chloë Sevigny What was your first job out of school? I moved to New York in ’93 and I worked at a store called Liquid Sky that was on L...
Chloë Sevigny What was your first job out of school? I moved to New York in ’93 and I worked at a store called Liquid Sky that was on Lafayette Street. It was, like, rave central New York, and I was the shopgirl. We sold lots of T-shirts that had this emblem called Astro Girl on it, and these big, baggy jeans that were the craze back then.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Lazaro Hernandez, Joe Zee How has your style changed in the past decade? JZ: Since 2002? I’ve gained weight, lost weight, gained weight, los...
Lazaro Hernandez, Joe Zee How has your style changed in the past decade? JZ: Since 2002? I’ve gained weight, lost weight, gained weight, lost weight, so along the way I have fat suits and skinny suits. I was also wearing ripped jeans back then. I was probably deep in my Justin Timberlake phase.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Andrew Rosen What was your first job out of school? I didn’t go to college, but my first job was working for my father’s knitting mill in Pa...
Andrew Rosen What was your first job out of school? I didn’t go to college, but my first job was working for my father’s knitting mill in Patchogue, Long Island. I did whatever needed doing. So if the guys needed help with knitting in a pinch, you could step in? You know, I was the boss’s son, so I’m not sure I could do much of anything at that time.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Anne Fulenwider, Mark Lee What was the first thing you ever bought at Barneys? ML: A Norma Kamali sleeping-bag coat. I gave it to Lady Gaga ...
Anne Fulenwider, Mark Lee What was the first thing you ever bought at Barneys? ML: A Norma Kamali sleeping-bag coat. I gave it to Lady Gaga when we did Gaga’s Workshop. I thought she should have it, and I knew I was never going to wear it again. It was purple and red. She was very appreciative.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Anne Christensen Are you wearing vintage Proenza? Yes, it’s from their first collection! I bought it at Barneys ten years ago. The whole thing, h...
Anne Christensen Are you wearing vintage Proenza? Yes, it’s from their first collection! I bought it at Barneys ten years ago. The whole thing, head-to-toe. The pants and the bustier. I wear it frequently!
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Samantha Perry, Richard Perry, Lisa Perry What was your first job out of school? LP: I worked at the Limited. I was a salesgirl. Were y...
Samantha Perry, Richard Perry, Lisa Perry What was your first job out of school? LP: I worked at the Limited. I was a salesgirl. Were you good? Oh my — I was unbelievably good. I was so into it. I loved mixing everything crazy. They had colored pants and jackets and cute tees and purples and fuchsias. I remember when we were closing, every hanger had to be exactly half an inch apart. We had to measure them. And now in my own store I like it the same way. It makes such a difference when the hangers are perfect.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Catherine Martin Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Tomoko Ogura Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Max Snow, Vanessa Traina Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Giovanna Battaglia Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Stefano Tonchi, Lazaro Hernandez Photo: Joe Schildhorn /BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
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