A comedy of instincts epitomises Prada’s AW25 outing, unleashing a tool of reaction and responses in troubled times.
IN THE space of decades, Prada’s shows have come to generate the kind of panic-to-be-there that has journalists wandering and marvelling and dashing through traffic to make it.
What was the focus for all this fuss? Another of Prada’s Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons’ weird and wildly formed concept collections in which forces of contrasts glide together. This time, it was centred on the industrial ground.
Unpremeditated contrasts result in unexpected and sensuous pairings, bringing forth a wealth of clothing through instinct, unbroken by the constraint of reason. In dresses, this force leads to an urge for security, for intimacy.
Natural and immediate gestures reflect the brand’s raw humanity. Shearling becomes a newfound layer of security, worn inside and out, and knitwear textures are decked with metal symbols without specific meaning, like armours which, to some degree, protect us.
The show space transforms Fondazione Prada’s Deposito into another exploration of contrast. A raw industrial metal structure collides with tactile carpet, originally designed by Catherine Martin, the presence of each shifting and enriching our perception of the other. Within, a series of levels divide the space, contradicting the scale of the monumental hall, the shifting lighting and atmosphere echoing filmic scenes.
That slightly diluted the aura of from-nowhere expectation that surrounds Prada’s work, but no matter. The only worry will be finding a new way to contain fans next season.
by Chidozie Obasi