At Prada, (Instagram) Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons wanted to about clothes for their FW 2023 menswear collection, so let’s do just that — talk about it. The collection explores the fundamentals of fashion, asserting the primacy of clothes, namely their meaning, value and significance. Together, the duo aims to make clothes easier to wear, creating a sort of uniform that is a shift from the House’s past, yet that still exudes Prada energy. Instantly recognizable through their clean cuts, the collection seems to hint towards a future that favors a minimal uniform.
Fashion holds a mirror up to society — it is a reflection of all that surrounds us. This collection points to how clothes are used in our everyday lives and how, although they may be simple, they can still very much have a fashion-forward point of view. Every-day wardrobe pieces have now seemingly become must-haves. Through reductionist tailoring, graphic shards of print and knit and extraneous details, silhouettes are amplified to show an apparent contradiction where comfort vs. exaggeration is at the forefront.
Couture-like volumes are achieved through the architecture of the garments, highlighting how proportion can transform perception. The Prada aesthetic was not lost though — through refined tailoring, a sexier man has appeared on the runway, with his skin very much on display.
Cocoon-like puffers, corset inspired shirts and detachable sailor collars returned throughout the collection. However, what stood out were the collarless garments that took their form in jackets — a beautiful contradiction to the swathes of tailored garments that dominated the show. The oversized collar became a theme, paired with open-chested cardigans or on doubled-up shirting.
By going back to basics, the show’s space, the Deposito of the Fondazione Prada, was an integral element. Surrounded by the exposed concrete, its dimensions were re-engineered where the ceiling rose to transform the space from intimate to grand, shifting perspectives on the garments that transcended down the runway — reaffirming the collection’s message: Let’s Talk About The Clothes.
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Watch the full Prada show below:
