Sun, Sea and a Glimpse into What Could Be ...
The press release was concise and stripped to its very basics, consisting of images of pristine waters, rippled waves and echoes from the beating heart of the collection that started with a "tunnel to joy", met with an "urgency of feelings" and culminated in a vision of summery "utopia of normality". If it's not a clear invitation to double down on your imagination and let loose, we don't know what is. For Spring/Summer '22, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons gives us a glimpse into a world of could be. And in our current state of persistent lockdowns, this timely invite could not be more welcomed.
Mirroring the voice of the cryptic press release, models walked along a red meandering tunnelled runway, guided only by a strip of white light from above that served as a chaperone into the open breeze of tantalising sand, sea and dreamy blue skies of Sardinia, Italy. The collection was current and youthful, comprising of rompers, colourful vest tops, floral hoodies, and casual summer lace-up sweaters that were predominantly styled with rolled up leg-baring shorts or mod-printed skorts (yes, you read right). Teamed with utilitarian bucket hats—these were accented with functional triangular logo pockets and slits that allowed sunglasses to sit comfortably in full view—and finished with derby shoes (complete with socks), one can't help but conjure images of children at the beach. An image cemented even further by the pairing of monochrome mackintoshes with bucket hats of the same hue.
Occasionally, the flow of holiday-ready ensembles were interrupted with more urban and functional pieces that consisted of tailored blazers, slouchy trousers and leather jackets. Not that this was off-putting nor did it hinder our desire to pack for the beach—if anything, the pieces styled as they were, reflected Prada's ethos to a tee. Elsewhere, the collection's nautical theme were carried by motifs of mermaids, anchors and marine life on rompers and tops.
See the full collection below.
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All images and video courtesy of Prada.
