Retail Diary: Prada Fashion 🌀 Spiral
Miuccia Prada is a major influencer in how we dress, architecture, beauty, intellectual design and aesthetics. Let's dig into what is behind this in 2023. Yes, it's your Prada Fashion 🌀 Spiral.
First, I want to explain more about what a Fashion 🌀 Spiral from me means.
Fashion 🌀 Spiral = It's when you spot a style trend, and the more you dive into it, the more it unravels—connecting dots, history, and surprises along the way!
Okay, now we are all on the same page, so let’s spiral. Prada, Miu Miu and the designer behind both brands, Miuccia Prada.
Starting with - who is Miuccia Prada?
Miuccia Prada, while much more subdue than other big name designers, has influence in fashion, architecture, beauty, sartorial design and much much more. Her journey begins from a Milanese aristocratic family and leads to the helm of the iconic Prada brand. She is not only renowned for her impeccable taste but is also a trailblazer in redefining what fashion can be. When I think of Mrs. Prada I think of focus, exacting, intellectual and simple in design but much deeper under the layers. There are moments of whimsy and playfulness, for sure, but in an extremely thoughtful way.
Image of Miuccia Prada via WWD
Prada, the luxury fashion house founded in 1913 by Miuccia’s grandfather Mario Prada, was initially known for its exquisite leather goods. However, under Miuccia’s visionary leadership, it underwent a remarkable transformation. She seamlessly combined the worlds of high fashion and art, and in the process, reshaped the way we perceive modern style. Her daring designs challenged conventions, creating a paradigm shift in the fashion landscape that continues to resonate today.
The impact of Miuccia Prada is seen in so many aspects. With her signature blend of minimalism and maximalism, she introduced us to the concept of “ugly chic,” turning utilitarian nylon into an unexpected luxury material and pushing the boundaries of what’s beautiful in fashion. Her ability to fuse art, intellect, and aesthetic intuition has led to iconic trends that include geometric prints, chunky footwear, and a relentless pursuit of the avant-garde.
Prada nylon bags via Bazaar, Purse Blog and Prada
In this spiral on Prada, we’ll dive into how Miuccia Prada’s distinctive vision has shaped the fashion industry, leaving a huge impact that resonates with each collection and change in direction she presents.
Miuccia Prada's Timeless Influence
The NYTimes has published several articles recently singing Mrs. Prada’s praises.
October 19th 2023 T Magazine (from NYTimes) published “The Greats” and highlighted Miuccia Prada’s work and background. I recommend scrolling through this piece on the T Magazine site because the visuals really help tell the story. Here is a brief summary:
At 75, Miuccia Prada, fondly known as "Mrs. Prada," is a fashion trailblazer. She took over her family's leather goods business in 1975 and, two years later, joined forces with her husband, Patrizio Bertelli, to build a global empire with a 2022 annual revenue of $4.5 billion. Their fashion empire extends to Miu Miu, Church's, Car Shoe, and sweet Pasticceria Marchesi pastry shops. They're even transforming disused land into an Olympic Village for the 2026 Winter Games. Miuccia Prada is a force to be reckoned with in the fashion world.
Quote from the article that I loved and will all come together later in this spiral: “These days, every reference seems to lead back to her, whether it’s a padded headband or a utility vest. Such a fixture is Prada on other designers’ mood boards that for her spring 2000 collection — which she referred to as “the ABC of fashion” — she paid homage not only to the work of Yves Saint Laurent but also, rather cheekily, to her own, in the form of reinterpreted cardigans and schoolboy shorts.” (You can view the runway from that 2000 collection here on Vogue Runway.)
The iconic Prada brand, recognized by its triangular logo, has left an indelible mark on pop culture, appearing in movies, TV shows, books, and music, and becoming a symbol of style and luxury.
Miuccia Prada's design philosophy centers on challenging cliché beauty and embracing fashion as a means of self-expression and empowerment, rather than conforming to established norms.
The Fondazione Prada: Miuccia Prada's role as the director of the Fondazione Prada and her commitment to blending art and fashion through various initiatives demonstrate her dedication to promoting culture and art beyond the fashion industry.
This T Magazine article titled “The Prada Effect” which includes a beautiful graphic with her sphere of influence is fantastic. I highly recommend you check it out if you haven’t. It outlines some of Prada’s biggest influences in fashion. Cardigans, headbands, backpacks, sheer fabric, etc. etc.
While not mentioned in the pleated skirt section of the Prada Sphere of Influence, the moment I saw the Fall/Winter 2023 Khaite skirt I immediately thought of the 2000 Prada lips skirt.
Images via Vogue Runway (Prada) and Khaite.com (Khaite)
My reasoning for showing this Prada item influencing Khaite 23 years later is not to try and point out copying - I really see this as having a perspective and saying something about fashion and taking influence from a feeling and moment and making it fresh again. Khaite just won the CFDA Women’s Wear Designer of the year this week for 2023. View this 1971 YSL look (that is currently available via 1stdibs.com if anyone is in the market for a $7.5K look.) This is where Miuccia Prada’s inspiration came from.1
1971 Yves Saint Laurent lip print via 1stdibs.com
For more of a dive into Prada’s prints this article from i-D in 2018 has journalist Susie Lau (aka Susie Bubble) lay out the history of many of Mrs. Prada’s more iconic prints.
At the culmination of the recent Spring/Summer 2024 fashion shows, NYTimes fashion editor Vanessa Friedman stated “Indeed, it would not be overstating things to say Mrs. Prada has been the muse of the season.” She outlined many of the ways that her influence showed up.
If you are curious about the difference between the label/brand Prada vs Miu Miu, from System Magazine in 2014, in Mrs. Prada’s own words: “Designing for me is a very complex process. There are many ideas that I want to express in one object, very often contradictory. The creative process in Miu Miu is completely different from that of Prada. Miu Miu is not as complicated and thought out as Prada. Rather than being young, Miu Miu is immediate. Prada is very sophisticated and considered; Miu Miu is much more naïve. The solution, when I am working on Miu Miu, has to come immediately, instinctively, spontaneously with whatever is available at the moment. If I think three times, I stop.“
Prada Updates and Style Inspiration
Rachel Tashjian's recent piece in The Washington Post delves into Prada's groundbreaking venture into lab-grown diamonds. It's truly refreshing to see a high-end luxury house like Prada pioneer this space. Here's to hoping it sparks further innovation and eco-conscious practices within the fashion world. (And a big shoutout to the trailblazing Dorsey brand founded by
mentioned in the article!)I love how the blog “Keep It Chic” often references and shows how to wear Prada style from the runway. Here are a few examples:
And really, all grey sweaters (it is the perfect 2023 fall/winter staple)
British Vogue on how to wear the Miu Miu fall/winter 2023 hoodie look. See this review of the Miu Miu collection.
Now check out this Mango look - not just the sweatshirt but specifically how they styled it. (See image below)
Fashion content creator Marina Norjes re-created many of the Miu Miu looks with the current Mango pieces.
Left side images Miu Miu via W Magazine coverage. Right side Mango.com.
And just for fun…
10 Things I Hate About You (a fabulous movie from 1999 that I now want to watch again) has this amazing quote:
Bianca: “There's a difference between like and love. Because, I like my Skechers, but I love my Prada backpack.
Chastity : But I love my Skechers.
Bianca : That's because you don't have a Prada backpack.”
Amid the surge of female designers and American Sportswear, the key theme is creating clothes that women genuinely desire. Expanding on this fashion trend, I find this idea very resonant. Prada and Miu Miu, particularly Mrs. Prada's designs, endure because they offer women both style and practicality. They are like wearable works of art, striking the right balance between creativity and approachability.
Any suggestions for my next fashion spiral?
This is a prime example of what I mean by Fashion 🌀 Spiral. Welcome to the inside of my brain. I’ll take the spiral one step further. The reason I remember this lip print moment so clearly is when I was interning at Bloomingdale’s I remember Stephanie Solomon and Kal Ruttenstein presenting the fashion trends and mentioning this Prada lip print skirt moment. Stephanie Solomon loved it so much but wanted to wear the original so she tracked down the original YSL from a vintage dealer. I love having this fashion memory.