MIUCCIA Prada and Raf Simons mean business this season. Well, mostly. For Prada’s spring-summer 2023, the design duo embarked on creating formulated clothing that juxtaposed elements relying more on the context of the look – or as the show notes put it more simply: ‘curation alongside creation’. Or, even simpler: rigid archetypal staple pieces.
The Prada SS23 show began with a stomping of suits. It was immediately clear that the Italian brand’s previous liking towards oversized silhouettes with accentuated shoulders had taken a turn and this season it was time to streamline. Think slimming frames that are cut meticulously precise in black weaved themselves throughout the collection presenting the timeless clean aesthetic expected from high fashion.
But beyond the tailoring; overcoats, sweaters, denim and leather were strong signifiers of the thoughts behind the designers. If you refine what is known to its most simplistic terms, there lies the beauty in design – the unchanging fundamentals.
Through unusual combinations individual garments were contrasted within looks to show us as an audience how something so simple can be changed to have an entirely different impact. Take for example a collarless shirt, trousers chopped above the knee into shorts that mirror the same shape as briefs, or even the revival of gingham in trench coats.
Consciously looking into the depth of a piece is not a new theme for Miuccia and Raf but a continuation of their exploration of design. Aptly titling this collection Choices, it is clear that the two made one that drops the exaggerated fuss of what circulates the industry and ensured that the focus really was on the fashion.
The clothes aren’t necessarily anything new but they are well-thought through, wearable and above all, classic.
by Imogen Clark