The topic of the most recent Prada menswear collection, which debuted in Milan on Sunday, was man’s relationship with nature. It was the most visually striking presentation of the Italian menswear season thus far.
Guests entered the show through a rabbit warren of workstations with desktop computers showing one word: Prada. Inside, a vast forest floor, though three feet below an all-glass surface, all illuminated by a series of office lights.
The collection was jointly created by Miuccia Prada, head designer of Prada with her designer partner Raf Simons. They sent out oversized vented jackets cut short, with side pockets placed extremely low, along with tweed jackets finished with fluted sleeves and mega wide conical peacoats and cabans.
They also varied the silhouettes to pencil thin nylon weave hipster pants worn with slimline khaki spy raincoats, with half the pants completed with wide woven leather belts. Fabrics ranged from Donegal tweed to stretchy nylon.
Simons, who was born in Belgium, said that one source of inspiration was the sentimental custom in neighbouring Holland, where family gather to ice skate when rivers and canals freeze.
