Prada's new adventure since the arrival of Raf Simons as co-artistic director is a story with several chapters. Evidencing this, the second women's ready-to-wear collection created by the Belgian designer with Miuccia Prada is a continuation of their men's collection, unveiled last January. It took place in the same decor featured in the earlier show, designed by the famous Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and his agency AMO, which creates a pathway between circular and square rooms with walls and floors in marble, plaster, but also resin and faux fur coloured in hues of red, purple, pink, blue or green, creating an all-enveloping cocoon-like environment. Then there's clothing: this time with feminine silhouettes, Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada once again offer thick coats with six silver buttons and triangular necklines, long-sleeved tops and tight-fitting suits covered with colourful and graphic motifs reminiscent of the house's history while the XXL bombers and gloves with zip pockets on the back of the hand are also reminiscent of those sported by the male models a month ago.
While the continuity between the collections is clear, Prada avoids lazy repetition and instead creates novelty by revisiting designs specific to the house's womenswear. The suit -fitted blazers and long skirts to below the knee - appears here in navy blue or grey with pin stripes and is worn over shirts, whose modesty and apparent sobriety are awakened this time by the bright colours of the tighter pieces worn underneath. The association of bright and contrasting tones in the silhouettes - yellow, green and red - evokes Miuccia Prada's hand and her bold styling, as well as the masterful balance of wide coats with straight cuts and balloon sleeves. The Italian designer and her Belgian counterpart certainly come together in their mutual love of knitwear, knitting graphic patterns in jacquard wools that imbue long dresses with a supple drop. The last part of the collection sees the rather surprising appearance of padded jackets freeing the shoulders and enveloping the body where faux furs, recycled nylon and coloured sequins are combined - pieces that, although reminiscent of some of the creations presented by Raf Simons in his Autumn-Winter 2020-2021 men's collection, certainly confirm the new ambition of the Italian house: to offer a modular and exciting wardrobe for liberated bodies.
