Jack McCollough Lazaro Hernandez Kristen Stewart Proenza Schouler Vogue February 2011

Let’s address the pink elephant in the room. Proenza Schouler’s Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough are gay. A gay couple. Does it somehow change things when it comes to their designing abilities or awesomeness? No. It’s a simple fact that there’s no need to hide.

That is why I was so surprised to read ‘Not Just Kids’ – a two page interview story in the recent Vogue February 2011 issue addressing anything from Hernandez and McCollough’s vacation house to the origins of Proenza Schouler to where they are headed next. Anything except them being a couple that is.

Choosing words very carefully, even segments about their remote getaway were emotionless and platonic. You are left puzzled, wondering why two grown men plant an orchard together. Their professional relationship was discussed at depth. Their separate family lives too. Nothing still, even vaguely suggesting that, god forbid, they are also a couple.

You might attempt to excuse Vogue by saying, well, they wanted to concentrate strictly on fashion. To that I say, when was Vogue ever only about fashion? They’ll talk about anything and everything. From colonoscopy to spirituality. They love talking about children, motherhood and marriage. I guess as long as the subject in question is straight. So in that context, asking a design duo how they manage to make their relationship work while working and living together makes a great deal of sense and comes naturally. In fact, not talking about it only seems forced.

It was never a secret that Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough are a couple. They’ve freely talked about it in past interviews. It’s 2011 Vogue. I think you can let the gay cat out of the bag.