Prada RTW Fall 2021

According to Miuccia Prada, “a new energy, a new desire is mounting.” This sense of optimism translated into the beautiful, sophisticated collection that Prada and Raf Simons unveiled with a video. Filmed on the same set used for the men’s show — with some color and material variations, including an eye-catching Klein blue room with a white furry floor — the presentation ramped up the raving vibe that was more subtly introduced last January.

If in the men’s video male models were candidly captured making some dancing movements, here the girls were filmed in a dark room with flashing strobe lights that mimicked a club.

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“There is a desire of movement and energy, it’s not just about dancing, it’s about the whole idea of move,” said Simons, who stressed the collection aimed to convey a sense of ease and comfort. But always with a high fashion quotient, as expected at Prada.

In line with the men’s collection, the fall women’s lineup focused on the concept of reinvention.

“In this collection we play with the idea of the classic — we subvert it, we transmutate it,” said Prada, citing, for example, hybrid outerwear pieces that combined the silhouettes of wraps and bombers. “By classic, I mean that it has passed the exam of history — the word ‘classic’ means there is something intrinsically necessary or clever about it, something meaningful. I like the word ‘classic’ for that reason. It actually means something that is relevant to people, relevant to life. Often, it is very simple — through new materials, a different cut or context, something obvious, eternal, normal — with a simple gesture, it can transform. That is what I truly love, in fashion.”

Reflecting Prada’s words, the collection was filled with revisited staples, including rigorous mannish suits showing split-up skirts, as well as a plethora of dresses, echoing ’20s silhouettes, which were enriched with knitted jacquard inserts in a variety of multicolored motifs. A nylon sporty parka was elevated through a vibrant faux fur lining and tailored coats were amplified with couture-like sleeves or the use of a cascade of shimmering sequins.

“Transmutation, transfiguration. The fundamental, integral idea of change — that intrigues us. Transmutation is the word we return to, in the concept of something that transforms slowly, shifting and changing, becoming heightened,” Simons said. “There are many more contrasts in this collection — retro and futuristic, embellished and minimal, sports and elegance — because we are combining them, hybridizing them, creating something that seems new.”

In this universe of transfigured classics, evening dresses were mainly replaced by highly practical yet elegant jumpsuits enriched with jacquard inserts and, like in a retro-futuristic time capsule, women wore knitted catsuits in Art Nouveau graphics.

While reiterating messages, gestures and designs, Prada and Simons are nonetheless writing a new chapter for the brand, which continues to excite with its unique mix of intellectualism and eccentric beauty.

Launch Gallery: Prada RTW Fall 2021

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