Prada SS21: The Show that Never Happened

Prada. The most anticipated show of every season, but like everyone else in the fashion sphere they must now find a way to adapt. With it being Miuccia’s final show before Raf Simons steps in, it has been of ever more importance to leave a mark on her ability to portray the fashion house in a new light. ‘Multiple Views’ is what they have titled their shows this year – with 5 different chapters embodying the Prada looks in innovative ways that entice every consumer they embody.

Chapter 1: Willy Vanderperre

The choice of Willy Vanderperre (long-time collaborator of Raf Simons) may have been to foreshadow what’s to come or simply to kick start the chapters with this otherworldly element that he creates so beautifully. The simplistic and completely Prada-esque tailoring in this first segment, mixed with the irregularity of the background music very simply encapsulates how Vanderperre, himself, describes the show as ‘introspective and slightly schizophrenic’. The subtle changes in tone of music from calm and tranquil to screeching and thrilling introduce this thought of ‘calm before the storm’ with the following videos slowly changing to what many now see as the new Prada in all its nylon glory.

Many are seeing large elements of Raf already within this segment so could this be a hint of what’s to look forward to or simply outlines how the upcoming collaborators are a match made in heaven?

Chapter 2: Juergen Teller

Bright lighting and a casual contradiction of space and subject. Juergen Teller’s ability to contradict and compliment Prada’s collection to an industrial setting filled with chrome piping and mechanical wiring is something to behold. Not only do the effortlessly structured nylon dresses and overcoats feel odd being shown in this hidden setting, away from the world of luxury and excess, but also feels right in way to re-introduce the man-made materials that Prada is now so well known for. Prada themselves have described this material as ‘borrowed from the world of workwear and transformed’ which is exactly the way this video portrays it to us. This aspect of transforming from what is deemed as classic and on brand is enhanced by the shift from image to video with, once again, erratic and un-settling music to make us really feel something during this defining time.

Chapter 3: Joanna Protrowska

This short 1:58 video is a sharp reminder to all of how fashion is much more than just those nice clothes we see hanging in shops. Joanna Protrwoska’s eye for artistic expression allows for beautiful choreography to encapsulate the feeling of this segment of the collection. The lighter weight fabrics are shown through subtle movements with the sharp and responsive clicking sounds signalling a new look. The pace of this sequence seems different to the previous videos with a calmness found within the rolling images.

Protrowska refers to ‘gesture and physicality’ and how

this is an ‘essential form of non-verbal communication’ which seems almost too relevant at a time where this kind of communication is having to become to the norm. With the entire concept of a fashion show being questioned this thought process of communicating for afar feels familiar to the viewer with the image of one model reaching for another from behind a curtain jumping back in to my mind. But even though the tactile element of fashion shows is at a miss right now, this video definitely encapsulates the feeling we would get through your everyday Prada catwalk.

Chapter 4: Martine Syms

Someone that is more than familiar with the idea of immersive installations, Martine Syms transports us into a movie theatre setting with lashings of pastel colouring highlighting the flowing fabric of the knitwear and skirt suits featured throughout. Syms said that she wanted to show ‘what it means to be living, breathing, moving’ which is set out by the dramatic and repetitive movements within this immersive space. Even with what Syms called ‘60s like’ clothing falling perfectly in to this old school movie theatre setting, we are still able to see the glimpse of modern technology with models appearing in contradiction to each other on old TVs vs modern day smartphones. Relaying back to that feeling of calm in chaos that we have seen with the dramatic sound changes in the previous videos, Prada is fully and wholly encapsulating a hopeful realm of escape that fashion offers people, particularly in this time of uncertainty and reflection.

Chapter 5: Terence Nance

With the stopwatch ticking to kick of Terence Nance’s debut for Prada, we are entered in to a world of time. With the material and clothing shapes being the most far removed from the first instance of Willy Vandeperre’s looks, this notion of time has developed and materialised. Keeping in tune with this feeling of looking back in to Prada’s time capsule, sportswear reminiscent of the 1997 introduction of Prada Sport is echoed through this video. We see the red stripe featured on tennis like polos and waterproof trench coats.

This heavy notion of time transmits this feeling of a tranquil world we could be in. The image of the burning sun that features at the beginning of this video is soon followed by flowing metallic gold material with water sounds and blurring imagery of a world I think we all hope to be in soon.