
Prada honours primitive drives for its FW25 menswear collection
Narrating insecurity through sensuality
January 20th, 2025
Prada is a brand that does not turn its back on uncertainties. Perhaps it is for this reason that the maison has remained untouched by the luxury crisis that is spreading among the major conglomerates in the industry: while others slow down, the Prada Group records one success after another, both for Miu Miu and for Prada, with quarterly revenues reaching peaks of over 100%. The brand's success has no secrets: what makes the Prada Group an unyielding force is the ability of creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons to reflect the times we live in. As a result, they offer customers what they seek. Security, intuition, comfort, and sensuality were the key words of the Prada FW25 Men's collection, presented last night at Fondazione Prada. The set, once again conceived by the Rotterdam-based studio AMO, fully embodied the contrasting feelings Prada and Simons evoked through the clothes, between the softness of a blue and white carpet designed by theater artist Catherine Martin and the grandeur of an industrial metal structure dominating the venue. In between, a collection inspired by Western cinema and daring necklines, nostalgic floral prints, and fur. Pajamas, puffer jackets, and distressed leather. A collection so familiar it inspires a touch of fear—much like the current state of fashion, one might add.
Prada and Simons describe the FW25 collection as «an expression of instinct.» Essentially, every look was meticulously designed to appear natural, a literal expression of human essence. Thus, the knitwear—if not inspired by the Western world with fringes and stars—was minimal, form-fitting, and in neutral tones, with metal accessories tied around the neck as good luck charms. Throughout the collection, panels of brown fur were scattered: from the shoulders of trench coats and bomber jackets to the hoods of parkas. Irregularly draped over outerwear, these inserts recalled a distant, primitive era, adding a touch of passion to otherwise ultra-classic looks. Alongside the fur, the wild was evoked with cowboy boots in myriad colors, worn under tailored cigarette trousers in gray and black.
A subtle veil of romanticism permeated the collection through the inclusion of pajamas in light blue and white cotton, pink peonies pinned to brown coats, and fully unbuttoned blue shirts. At the same time, aggression was clearly conveyed through dark leather patchwork suits, black vinyl coats, and faded satchels and bowling bags held like weapons. No element was allowed to “breathe” on its own: the light aqua green of a suit was completely submerged by a black coat, itself adorned with a fur collar; an adorable white blazer, fastened with a large round button, was toned down by military green trousers and distressed brown boots. Whereas in past collections Prada was synonymous with Office-chic, an aesthetic of perfectly crafted polos and uniforms, here the brand's composure is unexpectedly shattered, infusing each look with a rugged charm that is as fascinating as it is intimidating.
After a series of idyllic collections focused on artistic experimentation and man's relationship with technology, punctuated by viral it-items, Prada makes an abrupt change of course. The FW25 collection speaks to human instinct, to the automatic reactions and responses of our bodies to what surrounds us. Sensuality is reimagined, transitioning from the sweetness of school uniforms to the primal allure of fur and faded leather. The quest for security is heightened through the use of good luck accessories that hold no meaning other than what is personally assigned by the wearer. There is romance in this Prada Men collection, but not the kind we’ve seen before: «programmed decisions give way to truth,» the brand says to define the collection's vision. Perhaps it is in this literary fragment that the secret to the Prada Group's success can be discerned: the luxury crisis cannot be avoided but must be addressed with complex projects and strict rationality—and told as a story. For Prada Men, Prada and Simons have chosen to respond to uncertainty with powerful garments, capable of instilling courage. In a few weeks, we will discover if the same equation holds true for the brand’s women's wardrobe.