WHAT TO EXPECT FROM RAF SIMONS’ DEBUT PRADA MENSWEAR COLLECTION

Raf Simons’ first menswear show for Prada will air on January 17th. Collaborating with Miuccia Prada, this will be the first Fall/Winter collection from the creative duo.

It was first announced Simons would join Prada as co-creative director in February of 2020. Since then, the pair have produced the Spring/Summer 2021 womenswear show accompanied with a campaign. This body of work was received generally well but left some industry critics wanting more. Eliot Haworth, deputy editor at Fantastic Man notably said, “I’d be interested to see whether this was an intentional decision for their first collection together to make it a very stark, almost binary, distinction.”  He went on to express his interest on “whether they will come up with a voice that is distinct to the two of them.”

Their first show included a mix of both Simons and Prada’s signature aesthetics, from archival Prada graphics to tailored turtle necks and intriguing capes. And whilst we could notice both designers’ style, perhaps the FW21 collection will include a more homogeneous merge, as Simons and Prada get to know each other better.

A big takeaway from the SS21 show was the notion of accessibility. While the garments being created may not be considered as avant-garde, there is a uniqueness to them. In fact, Simons and Prada have both mentioned not wanting to create an innovative look, but rather develop a unique aesthetic which still rings true to their clientele.

Whereas some may be unsure about Simons’ creative input for Prada, it is important to look back at his previous work for different brands. For example, when Simons’ worked for Clavin Klein 205w39nyc, the quality of his work only increased with each season. And while it took longer for audiences to warm up to the designer, eventually, everyone could appreciate and admire his work. This is a similar route that the designer took during his time at Dior.

Simons’ personally leans heavily on youth culture for inspiration. From techno culture to nightlife, the provocative designer creates clothing for the bold and outspoken. Since Miuccia Prada’s takeover of the family brand in 1978, the designer has made an impact on the fashion industry, swearing to not follow trends. And though she made Prada an innovative brand with a youthful twist, there are still clear aesthetical differences between Prada and Simons. Perhaps, in this upcoming menswear collection, we will see more inspiration taken from youth culture.

Furthermore, in the latest Prada campaign, the creative duo were directly asking their customers questions around the themes of technology, future and human values. The campaign did not have the desired response, as many Prada fans turned it into a meme rather than a serious discussion. They have said that these answers will influence the way they approach future collections, though it is hard to imagine what the input could have on the Prada brand.

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