At Prada, what’s old is new again—at least for the brand’s biggest diehard fans, who obsess over odd contradictions, surreal fabric combinations, and witty juxtapositions. In many ways, the show was filled with the most original Prada-isms since the house saw Raf Simons take the helm as co-creative director with Miuccia Prada in 2020. Think: remixed riding caps and newsboy hats done in feathers or fur paired with brainy little glasses. There were also silky ribbon dresses that floated down the runway—and seemed to mirror the movement of the hair. It was a collection equal parts cerebral and emotional.
Guests’ seats were scattered across a glass runway filled with grass, leaves, mossy rocks, and even a creek, reflecting “the contradiction between our indoor existence and our innate connection to the outdoors,” said the brand. That concept was expanded upon immediately, through mixed-media skirts, hulking coats, and oversize blazers. Wool jackets looked conventional from the front but revealed patches of pastel silk in the back. Skirts were mid length from the front—but only when the models turned the corner were the flowing trains of fabric revealed. Sweaters came with built-in pins (like brooches) at the shoulders and neckline, rendered in sparkling, gem-encrusted bows.
Like a surreal time machine, the music shifted between covers of “My Funny Valentine” and “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand),” then gave way to electronic sounds. The clothing, hats, suit jackets, and shift dresses recalled distorted versions of eras past: the 1920s, 1940s, 1950s, and 1950s were reflected and refracted back through a very Mrs. Prada lens.
That gaze also turned toward the accessories. Many Galleria bags were worn, hanging, on leather arm cuffs below the elbow. There were also sequin-embellished and floral-printed Cleo bags, and glossy patent leather ombré purses. Big funnel collar dresses were styled with chunky, oversized mittens. Plus, a parade of dresses made out of nylon (a Prada signature through and through) was reconstructed into sculpted formalwear. Mrs. Prada and Simons made the everyday totally extravagant. And thank goodness for that.
