Most often, “we get wrapped up in like a narrative or a theme or a vibe”, Hernandez said after the weekend show.

“This season, we started with literally headshots of the women in our lives that we look up to and respect on a personal level, on a stylistic level,” he continued.

Those women included American actor Chloë Sevigny, who opened the show on February 11, wearing a suit and a long skirt of leather, a material used prominently in the collection.

“We’re tired of all this fantasy, and like, Instagram clothes,” Hernandez said.

The collection – clothing with character but less swagger – includes several relatively classic pantsuits and many below-the-knee skirts, accentuated with high boots, often in leather.

Still, Proenza has not abandoned sophistication.

One bright yellow suit featured a wide collar that stretched past the shoulder, while the flap of an asymmetrical dress fell along an arm.

The designers displayed that they know, with a light touch, how to transform a silhouette with subtlety.

He said Proenza’s new way of conceiving their clothes was appealing and freeing.

“Sometimes themes can be nice, and that you have a device to kind of tap into. But it’s also freeing to just get rid of it altogether,” McCollough said.