Prada SS26 put an end to nostalgia Here and now

On a caramel-orange expanse, the SS26 Prada runway set, the creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons presented one of the most focused collections of recent seasons. Fresh from a viral Interview released a few days ago, in which the two designers discuss contemporary themes such as the impact of international tensions on creativity and AI, the designers have just demonstrated extreme consistency in a signature collection that focuses on conceptual utility. «We are a company that has to sell clothes, so we make things that make sense to people, as creatively as we can. But it’s not a moment that is good for creativity. It’s an important moment for other fields, science for instance», Prada stated in the interview.

The first looks of the show served to embed this thought in the audience's mind: blue work suits – not exactly bleu de travail, but close – paired with long, crumpled, and colorful satin gloves. On the wrist, a black leather bag that looked like a hybrid backpack with a shoulder strap. But a touch of romance could not be missing; even in dark times, poetry is needed. Thus followed a line of patchwork silk, lace, and pleated colour-block skirts, which combined with black brought out a cheerful, lighter tendency from the usual Prada austerity.

One of the most interesting designs in the collection was the skirt – which at nss we playfully called «salo-skirt» – transparent like the SS94 brand dresses, continuing onto the models’ shoulders in fluttering straps. Even the bras, hidden under bright V-neck sweaters, were playful, geometrically cut but draped over the breasts like scarves. And, of course, the headpieces were also noteworthy, ranging from puffed blazers, English raincoats, to leather jackets with Peter Pan collars. The latter, instead of fitting regularly around the neck, featured an unusual boat neckline, a modification to an otherwise traditional look that is always appreciated at Prada, both by the creative directors and the audience.

Although several looks were total black, it was a very colorful collection. Against the glossy carrot-colored floor, canary yellow, mint green, turquoise, fire red, and an olive green stood out, the latter seeming to be the successor to Brat green. The styling emphasized contrasts: the 1980s peach-pink dresses were intentionally crumpled at the hems, hinting at a struggle between past ideals and a desire for progress, while other looks followed the equation «business up-top, party below-the-waist», as nearly invisible skirts or micro pink pants with pockets were paired with cardigans, evening gloves, and buttoned shirts. The stomach was only occasionally exposed. If one expected more feathers, given that it has become the trend of the season, Prada preferred to give texture to the collection through the crumpling technique, used on dress hems as well as gloves, jacket sleeves, and even bags, with leather and satin pouches scrunched in the models' hands.

Playful bras, see-through skirts, beaded necklines, and elevated workwear aside, the look we might remember most from this collection remains – as always – what Miuccia Prada wore for the final bow: a white shirt dress with a blue collar, pumps, and a saffron-colored silk shawl. In Eastern cultures, orange metaphorically represents fire, renunciation of material goods, and spirituality. Perhaps the choice of wearing this color, also the same as the show set, reflects the designers’ intentions for their current artistic direction at Prada. «I hate nostalgia», Simons said in the Interview Magazine interview. This collection, although rooted in old wardrobe archetypes, lacked pop references or items designed to go viral. Like a fire that crumples instead of burns, it may have sparked something new.