Men’s: Jokes on Classic. Prada SS15

June 23, 2014June 23, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

So, what did Prada serve us this time for her men’s SS15 and women’s Resort’15? Something you would probably not think of: a pool. In the middle of the show venue, we had a 90 deegree rectangular swimming pool filled with water. A pretty perfect mood for summer, isn’t it? But all the spark was in the fashion that was presented. “I interpreted the classics. It means everything and nothing. It means what looks good for me” said Miuccia Prada backstage, meaning that for menswear, she always can do what she likes most, while for womenswear, “we always have to push, push, push.” I totally agree with her in that fact – the men’s clothes were a fresh, updated version of her 70’s ugly-chic uniforms and the sandals had this Prada mood written all over it. “It’s kind of conservative. Conservative looks more new” Miuccia added. Utah boys visiting the concrete jungle, embroidered top-stitched everything, brown leather-detailed denim and cashmere versions of charity shop knits… it all felt old, but new in a way it was a bit forgotten by people. But as it sounds typically, nothing is really normal at Prada. The exagarated stitches are just the prove! You see them everyday on your denim, but here, Prada made them in the spotlight. If coming back to the pool, there was also an irony about it. Surrounded on all sides by bleachers covered in dodgy golden-brown carpet (only Miuccia would pair that with a glittering pool) that extended to a raised runway on the water, it was a Miuccia-style take on an old summertime chestnut. “It was a joke on what’s classic,” she commented after the show. So, was that just another show? No, it was a very Prada show.

About the artist: Israeli sculptor. He adopted the name Absalon on his arrival in Paris in the late 1980s. During his short career he achieved widespread recognition for the 1:1 scale architectural models that he constructed of idealised living units. These wooden models, painted white, demonstrate an obsession with order, arrangement and containment, and have associations both of protective shelters and monastic cells.

Real Fantasies

May 11, 2014May 11, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

“Fairies? At Prada? Why, yes: When Miuccia is fed up with being perverse in the anarchic-fierce way, she’ll change tack yet again and go against the grain by being so sweetly unchallenging you (almost) can’t recognize her. So Prada for Spring went late sixties, early seventies, Art Nouveau-ish—tripping off into the kind of tendrilly doodles girls used to scrawl on their bedroom walls after studying their hippie-romantic rock album covers.” Nowadays, the fashion world is all buzzy about seasonless clothes that will forever be trendy. But, I think it’s impossible because fashion is art and art always tends to change it sides. After opening the Dover Street Market in New York, Rei Kawabuko (the designer of Comme des Garcons) is in strong relationship with Miuccia Prada. Creating lovely capsule collections made of unused archive Prada fabrics, the designers already created two collections- the one that was sold for AW13, and the second for SS14. The second one is all about SS 2008, when Miuccia took us to a fairy-tale full of fairies and elfs. I remember how hot it was in the stores when everybody stood in queue for a fairy bag! Thanks to that new flashback that DSM did with Prada, women which bought anything from this season may again wear their pieces, without thinking that they are so, so last season. As you see, fashion is very much like art- you never know, when it suddenly comes back… see the new capsule collection just like Lena’s archival pieces from SS08 (the skirt and the shoes are not it. We still seek the fairy themed dress in her wardrobe!).

PRADAsphere

May 2, 2014May 16, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Prada: A cosmos of its own composed of heavenly bodies set in a complex orbit. A universe of contradictions and endless elaborations— noble causes and base temptations— where idealism meets vanity, intelligence meets passion, fashion meets fiction. This is what the PRADAsphere is all about- a huge playground at London’s Harrods, where Miuccia Prada styled each section with her archival (and very new AW14) pieces. The collection that will last till 29th of May is a perfect occasion to remind ourselves the best Prada collections that influenced our sense of fashion and art… the SS10 crystals. The AW13 seductive checks. The SS13 modern geishas. It’s simply a Miuccia Prada wonderland (even all bags and shoes are present here in their own “eco-systems”)! The photos from the exhibition are by Susie Lau.

PRADA SS13

Prada SS13

Prada AW12

Prada SS08

Prada AW14

Prada AW13

Prada SS11

Prada AW11

Prada SS10

Plastic Fantastic. Miu Miu AW14

March 7, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Miuccia Prada surely watched too much of Barbie before designing her collection for Miu Miu in Paris. The AW14 was so candy-flossy-barbie-girl-plastic-fantastic, that it’s simply impossible. But, well, it is. And those plastic shoes with a nail. They are killer. What’s more, some girlie embroidery was seen here too, with strong colours of pink, yellow and blue. There where those radiant PVC coats that are perfect for a rainy autumn day… A lot things happened here. And that’s totally opposite to the main Prada collection… I love it too bad.

Remix. Prada AW14

February 22, 2014September 25, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

The Prada AW14 collection was a real example of avant-garde fashion. With Barbara Sukova’s life performance accompanied by real orchestra as a show tune, collection was presented in a dark Milanese garage… And, possibly, that was one of the most wearable collections for season at Prada. The colour palette and prints shouting loud 30’s & 70’s, amazing monkey fur dress which looked like a ‘body, chained shoulder bags, architectonic heels and heavy sweaters worn over flawless sheer skirts look fantastic. Miuccia Prada is on the concept of timeless, but artsy clothing, that will never be out of fashion. In reality, these clothes will always look good and luxury! Opposing the colourful SS14, this collection in result became a little bit more toned, darker. But coming back to basics is never a bad idea. And if it is Miuccia who “rules the rules”- then nobody can say “no”.