Miu Miu girls are all grown up at FW25

Miuccia Prada doesn’t like the internet, but the internet loves Miuccia Prada. And so, everything the designer rejects in her latest collections for Prada and Miu Miu—one at Milan and the other at Paris Fashion Week—inevitably ends up riding the powerful waves of the algorithm. Miu Miu girls love stealing clothes from their grandmothers, rummaging through dusty city market stalls, and, above all, looking much older than they actually are. To do so, they buy large golden earrings, silver brooches, 1920s wool hats, and pastel-colored knee-high socks. They wear leather sneakers, heels with socks, pencil skirts, and gray wool suits. At FW25, presented just a few hours ago in Paris, Miu Miu showcased a runway show packed with nostalgia as always, except this time, the old completely took over, leaving little room for youth. Teased hair, fur collars, and a sugar-paste color palette didn’t just throw the brand into the ‘20s and ‘60s, from which many designs of the new collection draw inspiration, but rather into the ‘90s. When Miu Miu, freshly launched as the younger sister of Prada, witnessed the rise of ugly chic by Miuccia Prada. The unmistakable symbol of Miu Miu’s return to aesthetics today was injected into the set’s walls, which were completely wrapped in a magnificent acid yellow.

The overarching theme of Miu Miu’s FW25 is austerity. Everything the brand has turned into a flagship item in recent years—marked by record sales and viral moments—has been reinvented in reverse: instead of making skirts and shirts more playful and daring, the suits that were tiny just a few seasons ago (let’s remember the cropped miniskirt that went around the world and on magazine covers) have been made more modest. In Miu Miu’s new etiquette, sensuality comes through contrast, with past silhouettes—such as the peach-colored suit with padded shoulders—paired with sharp details like ultra-pointed cup bras. In some looks, only the models’ knees are exposed, while in others, the straps of black, pink, and white silk dresses are lowered to reveal the collarbones and bras, as if the wearer had been caught in an intimate moment. If the outfit isn’t a full-grey ensemble in true Milanese style, colors are paired seemingly at random—but in reality, they follow the unwritten rules of Prada’s ugly chic, which embrace clashing hues placed side by side. Fiery red is paired with olive green and purple, aquamarine embraces brown, while lilac and mustard yellow are scattered here and there.

The accessories are quite surprising. While in the previous season, fashion insiders predicted a comeback of large, soft suede bags, for FW25, Miu Miu has decided to bring back the impractical yet classy allure of handbags. Small black, brown, and gray leather handbags are worn on the wrist like jewelry, with a worn-out finish that fans of Jane Birkin’s style adore. The leather outerwear follows the same aesthetic, with jackets, coats, and aviator jackets featuring stains and wear on the shoulders and sleeves. Even though the zip on the collar has been humorously placed diagonally, in this collection, even the tracksuits look old, as if stolen from a 1950s country club golf player. Revived from FW17, the colored patent leather go-go boots are back on the runway, featuring a small heel and thick calf straps.

Faced with this triumph of delightfully demodé looks, silhouettes borrowed from grandma’s wardrobe, and colors taken from an old-fashioned pastry shop, it’s natural to wonder why Miu Miu continues to break sales records (in 2024, the brand achieved a 93% increase in sales) and why it appeals so much to younger generations. The answer can be found in the show’s front row, where A$AP Rocky, freshly acquitted, flaunts his full Miu Miu look in front of the press. Like a suit revealing a pointed bra underneath, Miu Miu’s vintage soul offers the perfect antidote to banality. After all, what could be more original than a rapper dressed in gentleman clothing, right? Moreover, even though Miuccia Prada doesn’t like algorithms or social media, it’s clear that she loves women: the feminine image she presents each season (with Raf Simons in Milan, alone in Paris) has always reflected society’s needs. Since its inception, Miu Miu has offered alternative interpretations of sensuality based on an idea of comfort and intellect that today’s world is crazy about. Especially for women who want to have fun with their wardrobe without compromising their careers, who know how to be taken seriously yet also seduce, who can read an entire novel in just a few hours but also spend a whole day at the tattoo parlor.