The label Proenza Schouler is most widely known for its early success. The It's creators/designers are Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough who met when they studied at Parson's School of Design. The duo worked together on their senior thesis in school. The project eventually became their first collection as Proenza Schouler, borrowed from the designers' mothers' maiden names. They now regret the name choice.

“The whole reason why we even picked that name in the first place was that when we started, Barney's had just bought our collection and we didn't have a name. We thought, Hernandez McCollough? [laughs] Doesn't sound so high end, does it?” McCollough said in Interview Magazine. 

As the two designers grew to fame, they were popular for their bustiers and corsets. They responded better to men's clothing, so the designers began to incorporate that kind of tailoring into their clothing, which is a women's clothing and accessories line.