Miuccia (Prada), the fashion alchemist

Miuccia Prada presented the FW 2015 collection during Milan Fashion Week in the post-industrial venue of via Fogazzaro set up by the Rem Koolhaas’ AMO studio as a maze of candy-colored Chinese boxes, in which she showed a story of “experiments on proportions” that could confuse the less trained eyes to the search of beauty.

This time “la Signora” (the nikname of Miuccia Prada according to her followers) acted both like a chemist and an alchemist who deceived the observer through synaesthetic effects and digital trompe-l’oeil, reinterpreting the classic items of the bourgeois wardrobe with a sort of decorative genetic mutation.

Prada FW 2015

It all started with several total looks featured by a layering of sour-and-candy-colored clothes which changed the tradition: shirts with long pointy collars emerged under tightly woven sweaters and suits with flared trousers which end just above the ankle. What seemed to be high-tech soft neoprene from the live streaming of the show, in the showroom revealed its essence of double shiny jersey, featured by the same sculptural effect of the synthetic fabric. This is just the first illusion.

Outfit by outfit the experimentation continued with the optical effect of the rubberized leather garments on which was printed a particular so called “molecular” pattern made of decomposed pixels which optically create a three-dimensional image reproducing the texture of wool. This is the second illusion.

The “molecular” theme of the collection appeared also as relief applications on the double-jersey and wool mini dresses featured by an empire line slightly puffed-up on the back and framed with two vertical bows on the front; while colored fur inserts stood out on the top-vests and coats as reminiscences of the old fur stoles around the neckline or in small vertical bands. Third and fourth illusions.

Prada FW 2015, accessories

The accessories, it goes without saying, were the strong point of the collection, in full respect of the DNA of the brand: Mary Jane shoes in leather or satin, revisited with thick short heels (the real trend of 2015); long gloves in ostrich or python to be worn above the elbow; sports bags that hide another bag inside like minimalist functional matrioskas, in solid color or with the molecular pattern printed on Saffiano leather; and finally, the real gem, the maxi pins made of PVC floral silhouettes with crystals, a tribute to the personal collection of antique jewelry of Miuccia Prada.

Maybe it is true that the experiments on proportions proposed by la Signora confuse the untrained eye to the search of beauty, but let’s face it: it’s very nice being confused this way.

Alessandro Masetti – The Fashion Commentator