It was a careful and well-considered process that led Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons to the men’s collection presented in the spaces of the Fondazione Prada. The set-up contextualised the défilé to an intimate, everyday atmosphere through the mock-up of a house welcomed guests amidst white walls, checked curtains and a pale brown floor, all made entirely of paper. The set, as well as being the backdrop of a sober and elegant scenography, is also the protagonist of the show, reflecting characters of the real and the human, now more than ever necessary for any way of communicating. The usual therefore returns in the declinations of material and image, expressing a true choice of style. Seemingly simple results have with them complexity of thought and careful processes of workmanship. The idea that is staged is a clear juxtaposition of elements and garments that, respecting the brand values, show the fundamentals of dressing.
“So much that is the base is really a conceptual choice—a coat, jeans, a suit. They appear simple but are the result of a process, of choice—there are hundreds of coats, why is this the right one? It is a combination of a long process of design and decision, and then of instinct. It is a matter of style.”
The collection consists of linear and essential proposals, including elegant black suits, single or double-breasted overcoats, knitwear and shirts, elements accompanied by denim and leather pieces. Everything superfluous is removed: there are no collars on shirts and coats, trousers follow the lines of the body and are reduced in length. The brand’s classic pieces are reinvented and re-proposed without being distorted, remaining completely recognisable. The combination and choice of contrasting matches gives a different, fresh and innovative impact. Maxi bags in delicate but bold colours combined with trainers and iconic square-toed boots. The inspirations, in terms of colours, patterns and materials used, mingle and transform from one garment to the next, in shorts, shirts, overcoats and in knitwear, and also in accessories. Check patterns evoke childhood memories, familiarity and conviviality, with the usual undertone of sophistication. The same is conveyed by the body-hugging silhouettes with reduced proportions and shortened lengths, symbolically recalling youth and vivacity. Thus, the body is free to show its shapes and move dynamically. This narrative of everyday life is reflected in the name of the collection, ‘Choices’. A conceptual choice of essentiality. A choice of simple details in all their elegance. A choice to narrate a style made of research, art and work, in which, once again, the brand’s DNA is confirmed in every aspect thanks to a recognisable and sophisticated vision of fashion.
“The garments are classic, but their mix contradicts, making them exciting and new. There is leather against the body, then cotton on top—there’s a kind of anti-logic to the combination of the clothes, an oddness.”
