Miu Miu is the Sofia Coppola of fashion. With this brand, Miuccia Prada tells stories of girls (on the verge of womanhood) trying to navigate the fascinating, particular world we live in. The spring-summer 2024 collection, which is the cherry on top of this never-ending fashion month, explores a rationale of beauty today, beauty, that echoes the complexity of our era. Miuccia has a solution: instead of rigid paradigms, there is a radical expansion, a rich plurality. Not beauty, but beauties, an embracing of unique characters, the joy of life. With that in mind, the designer re-established the Miu Miu silhouette that’s seen recent collections fly off the shelves: skimpy hemlines expressed in knickers (worn as daywear), shorts and tiny tennis skirts paired with oversized blazers, bombers and coats. Triangular tops styled with low-slung tailored trousers continued the 2000s vibe beloved by a new generation of shoppers.

The collection was underpinned by a decidedly preppy mood that riffed on an American idea of ease: crested jackets over polo shirts over shirts worn with Bermuda shorts. There’s that intriguing “realness” about the recent Miu Miu collections. This time, Prada imbued her garments and accessories with what she called “traces of living”: marks on leathers and suedes, and fabrics that faded as if they’d been washed too many times. She called the pre-worn sensibility an expression of “existing love” demonstrated by the repeated use of clothes. A similar sensibility was reflected in the “real” styling (done wih Lotta Volkova’s assistance) of the slightly dishevelled layering of dresses, jumpsuits, cardigans and T-shirts, which evolved the barely-got-out-bed look that characterised last season’s collection. As a brilliant nod to real life, the toes of flip-flop-wearing models were adorned wore neon-coloured plasters. That sense of realness was also embrace by a diverse cast. Singer Troye Sivan flew the flag for the Miu Miu boy, while the artist Petra Collins and the photographer Eddy Aldridge wore “misfit” eveningwear. The Sofia Coppola reference perfectly materialized in the appearance of Cailee Spaeny, the actress who stars as Priscilla Presley in the latest work of the director.

Collages by Edward Kanarecki.
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