Looks for Twin Peaks Life

May 23, 2017May 23, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Miu Miu pre-fall’17

I guess we’ve all watched the same thing yesterday evening – Twin Peaks 2, of course. David Lynch is in great, twice edgier and even more eccentric form, and we really did meet 25 years later… so, after the first have episodes aired, it’s quite the right time to think of alternative, matching Twin Peaks looks of the season. I mean from this literal season (autumn-winter 2017, for the concerned ones), not from some another, Lynchian dimension.

Prada autumn-winter 2017

Miuccia Prada has mentioned Lynch many times, while discussing her collections. His portrait of female characters is just the right amount of elusive femme fatale style and cardigans – read: a Prada woman in American suburbs.

Balenciaga autumn-winter 2017

Those voluminous coats with strange buttonings by Demna Gvasalia will surely get your hands twisted and feel like from another time lapse.

Saint Laurent autumn-winter 2017

Anthony Vaccarello has accidentally created a perfect, modern-day Laura Palmer dress.

Brock Collection autumn-winter 2017

This one’s from the episodes. That outfit is so, so the principal’s wife look, pre- and post-murder. No spoilers! Watch yourself to get it right.

All collages by Edward Kanarecki.

In the Osservatorio. Prada Resort’18

May 8, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Time is understood differently, but the fashion industry has the most abstract sense of it. Although Miuccia Prada doesn’t put her newest collection into a specific season, let’s face it: we’re heading towards resort 2018, a summer pre-collection, that will hit the stores just before Christmas.

(And it’s May. A very breezy May. Spring-summer 2017 collections are hitting the stores, like, right now.)

Ironic, yes. But the collection is remarkable. Prada chose Galleria Vittorio Emanuele’s attic-like Osservatorio space, which is just above the brand’s historical flagship boutique. With an enchanting view at Milan in the background, the models walked the runway wearing every pastel colour possible. From soft pink to light lilac, Miuccia revisited her signatures in springish tones: intricately embellished sheer sheaths, femme-fatale coat-dresses, nylon tousers, feather headbands. All the components, that make the sophisticated and modern Prada woman become reality, not just a designer fantasy. Miuccia invited James Jean – the same artist who did the iconic fairy prints for the brand in 2008 – to work on accessories and mini-dresses, injecting this already cute collection with rabbit illustrations. But was this collection that cute, though? Not really – nerdish knee-lenght socks and pointy shoes reminded everybody, that Prada is about ugly chic, after all.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Too Edgy. Miu Miu AW17

March 19, 2017March 19, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Back in 2014, System Magazine asked Miuccia Prada to explain the differences between her main line and Miu Miu. According to the interview, designing at Miu Miu is much less complicated for Miuccia, whereas at Prada, it’s sometimes a struggle – the label is a synonym of ‘sophistication’, both for women’s and men’s fashion. Miu Miu’s soul is naive; spontaneous; immediate. For autumn-winter 2017, I didn’t get those three terms at Miu Miu. Edginess is definitely something that accompanied a Miu Miu girl throughout the years – but this season, it’s too much. Not that I don’t have a soft spot for purple faux-fur (especially when it’s used as a carpet) or fluffy hats. But I doubt that this overdose of 70s psychedelia and 30s technicolor does any good. Bold prints, over-sized collars, tiaras, geek boots: although all of them are Miu Miu signatures, this time they feel senseless combined together. In other words, the collection looks ridiculous. And surely incomparable to Prada collection (which was presented a few weeks ago in Milan), where the designer took us to another level of femininity.

I’m a Woman. Prada AW17

February 24, 2017February 24, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Miuccia Prada is a woman. And she celebrates every aspect of that fact in her autumn-winter 2017 collection. Like an over-sized room of a teenager, the show’s venue was covered with film posters featuring female characters, while the guests sat on beds, instead of chairs. This room wasn’t just a room – it summed up a woman’s life, her experiences, desires, morals. Whether that was participating in Communist marches in 70s Italy or being a little girl who wanted to dress like a glamorous Milanesa, Prada‘s life is like a gripping book. But the concept wasn’t about her. It rather praised women she knows, she admires. Their assertiveness, point of views, femininity and approaches to life. Whether dressed in candy-pink dress with ostrich feather inserts or a boyish corduroy suit. Hand-knitted scarves, biker hats, woven bras, sea-shell necklaces – those pieces aren’t future must-haves of an it-girl, but an intimately rare access to Miuccia’s various associations of a woman. This show is the most beautifully executed moment of the season, so far.

Prada

Men’s – Peace Scouts. Prada AW17

January 16, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

“My inspirations are so many and so complex that to summarize is impossible. But I would say that the main sentiment that I had is going from bigness to smallness; from the big deal of the installation—big architecture and construction—the big deal of fashion, the big deal of art, the big deal of everything. And to go opposite. More human, more simple, more real . . . the desire for reality, humanity, and simpleness.” Miuccia Prada is one of the most consciously thinking person in the entire fashion industry, exploring a number of ideas at a time and conveying them into a visual and, of course, wearable concept.

Looking at her autumn-winter 2017 collection for men (and pre-fall 2017 for women), you had a feeling something intense, yet mind-feeding was going on in Prada‘s mind. Even more personal than usual, yet relating to 21st century’s society, Miuccia let calm earthy colour palette and natural materials into her collection. Leaving behind hi-tech of men’s SS17 and elegant decadence of women’s SS17, her boys and girls were the peaceful scouts; soldiers of love. Existentionalist black turtlenecks and biker hats (although Prada didn’t want to straightly reference the 70s) took us back to 1968’s student strikes in Paris, and in entire Europe, where the youth opposed to traditionalist values, like capitalism or imperialism. Fight for yours’ and others’ well-being pacifically. Go against the system, by breaking it as a laid-back modern-day hippie. Little details, like sea-shell necklaces and wooden pendants symbolised coming back to the roots, the nature; slouchy beards and unbrushed hair were the everyday reality, which is still full of beauty.

Although Prada, as a brand, is struggling financially due to falling revenue, Miuccia isn’t going commercial. Corduroy trousers (she loves corduroy, as you can see, and I’m starting to love it, too), psychedelic prints on bags, fur shoes. While the guys wore suede and cognac leather, female models took a spin on boldly-coloured floral mohair skirts, cardigans and socks. Going normal, and settling down mentally (or at least, in a remote forest house) is on Prada’s agenda.