Prada FW23 said beauty’s in the eye of the beholder, and you’re looking at it. The brand’s Womenswear collection which showed today in Milan was an exploration into what beauty means to Co-Creative Directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, taking inspiration from classic depictions of romance, from pooling, white wedding dresses to floral motifs.
The collection also rejuvenated many of the trends we saw in Prada’s Menswear show last month, helping to create a sense of continuity and direction. We saw Prada return to the theme of functionality, among other aesthetics and trends that dominated Menswear FW23, littering bold pops of colour amongst contrasting textures, from tailoring to puffer to 3D flowers.
PRADA RAISED THE ROOF… AGAIN
Hosted in the same venue as the brand’s Menswear show last month, Prada’s FW23 Womenswear show welcomed a steady stream of famous faces who were ushered into the venue in pitch black darkness, with torches and phone lights darting over the floor as they made their way to their seats. In the obsidian surroundings the true imposing structure of the space was hidden (unless you remembered it from January) only to be revealed when the lights – and the ceiling – came up.
As the show started, a trick we saw at the brand’s FW23 Menswear show was revived, and the ceiling rose, expanding the space upwards and revealing tall orange pillars each decorated with a hidden garden of leafy greens above the audience’s heads. The flowers decorated throughout the venue came to be a significant theme in Prada’s collection, referencing the idea of beauty and casting a romantic atmosphere over the space.
FRESH AS A PRADA LILY
Roses are white, violets are white, all the flowers at Prada’s FW23 show were white. Adhering to what’s already been declared one of 2023’s biggest trends in Womenswear, the icon of the flower played a huge role in Prada’s show. From the first look to the last, Prada’s collection was adorned with 3D textured flowers attached to an array of classic cream skirts of all lengths and styles.
Tying in with the floral garlands decorating the show space, Prada’s overarching symbol of flowers is a visualisation of the brand’s depiction of beauty, love, and care. Featuring garments resembling flowing wedding dresses adorned with white roses, the collection couldn’t be more romantic if it tried.
EVERYTHING PUFFER: PART TWO
Prada’s Menswear collection in January had us thinking that they’d surely made a puffer version of everything that could be puffered, from jackets to trousers to t-shirts, but apparently we stand corrected. On top of the above, the brand’s Womenswear show debuted mini skirts, dresses, and matching sets all in the iconic pillowy white texture.
Once again the puffer looks appeared soft enough to sleep on, with a small white mini skirt adding dimension to an otherwise classic outfit, and a matching puffer top and skirt cinched at the waist to still grant the wearer a flattering silhouette. It seems Prada’s pushing for puffer to be the next big thing, and we’re happy to oblige.
STEP INTO ORIGAMI, LITERALLY
Kitten heels, which appeared to have been folded into origami shapes resembling flowers, accessorised many of the outfits, at first in a clean paper-white before eventually appearing in flushed pink and eye-catching orange hues.
These were contrasted with stiletto-style court shoes with sharp geometric detailing on the toe. Both styles used strong, straight, defining lines to contrast with the loose, flowing skirts and delicate flower-detailing of the collection, subverting soft, feminine garments with striking, modern accessories.
COLOURED COLLARS MAKE THEIR RETURN
Another Menswear trend that made a return in Prada’s Womenswear show today was seen in the bright flashes of coloured collars poking out from beneath tailored jackets and cardigans, and they were as iconic as the first time around.
A black oversized blazer was playfully accessorised with a turquoise, pointed collar which poked through at the model’s neck, and a mesh grey cardigan revealed a magenta collar, which was visibly separate from any type of shirt as we could see straight through to the model’s bare chest.
Prada’s FW23 show was a love letter to itself. It reimagined some of the best trends from the brand’s Menswear FW23 collection whilst seamlessly marrying a softer, more feminine, and more romantic aesthetic. As we’ve now come to realise, the moving ceiling of the space wasn’t just a fun trick; it’s a symbol of new perspectives and new takes on classic depictions of love and beauty. Whoever said romance is dead was sorely wrong.
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