Prada FW23 Serves "Futurism, '60s Space Age, Aggression, and Cleansing"

Raf Simons the brand is no more, which has left many asking the same question: will Raf Simons bring even more energy to Prada? Working alongside Miuccia Prada — who has since stepped down as the Prada Group’s CEO — the duo has redefined the House with a futuristic edge, introducing a vision that marries Simons’ love for the dark side with Miuccia’s penchant for subtle luxury. The result has, so far, been well-received — SS23 womenswear was a hit show for the brand as sci-fi domesticity met futurism, cinematic drama and businesswear chic, while FW22’s “Body of Work” show helped put their newfound identity on the map with a star-studded runway clad in Simons nuances.

As for FW23, Simons and Miuccia presented their eerie collection, “LET’S TALK ABOUT CLOTHES.” Like much of the big House’s output this season, Prada focused on a presentation of essentials. Unlike others, though, Prada’s ability to shift the paradigms of fashion resulted in a series of reductions — minimalism was key, but don’t mistake this for being simple.

The show invite — a pillow and pillow case — was emulated numerous times throughout the collection with jackets and gilets made from the same white material. It’s cotton, but not as you know it, feeling and looking as space age as the vision behind the entire show.

As the show started, the incredibly low ceilings raised into the pillars of Fondazione Prada. Techno music blared out and models came into the room from a concealed concrete archway. Boxy tailoring was worn with open shirts, their collars darting over the blazer’s lapels, while trousers were slim and slick. Footwear was consistent throughout with almost all models wearing a variation of a derby, and many were carrying a new House signature leather tote bag, presented in chrome, white, black, and other glossy hues.

The oversized collar soon became a theme in itself, sitting within open-chested cardigans or on doubled-up shirting. Softening things up was an array of suede jackets, blasted with bold shoulders that completely contrasted the following looks — two orb-like structures made from the pillow fabric. Billowing bomber jackets in a classic color of khaki and orange or navy and orange proffered a more wearable iteration, and later, military bombers cut cropped and cinched at the tight cuffed waist continued Prada’s reductive approach.

Aviation themes that have appeared at brands like Emporio Armani also appeared at Prada in the form of a clay gray buttonless shirt and slim pants, which soon grew into various takes that played with proportions. Altogether, Prada commented on numerous themes: futurism, ’60s space age, aggression, cleansing, and “fragments of Prada’s history,” as confirmed by Simons backstage.

The softness, met with futuristic tendencies, was the perfect match for Prada’s womenswear collection, “Domestic Voyeurism.” Coupled, the brand is making clothing easier to wear, creating a uniform that steers away from the House’s past. These sans-branded pieces are immediately recognizable because of their spare, clean cut.

Speaking on the show, Simons said, “This collection is about archetypal clothing, about taking the recognizable but changing it through silhouette and cut — their form language is transformed. It is also about the DNA of Prada, clothes embedded with fragments of an identity we can recognize as fundamentally Prada. These are unmistakable and significant gestures, towards the heritage and history of the brand, and to the meaning of Prada now.”

Miuccia Prada added: “We always talk about reality, and we, as designers, are very aware of what is happening, the problems, the difficulties. It is a complicated moment in the world – and we react to it. The most honest thing we can do is to create something useful for people today — to face reality in, and frame the idea of our reality through clothes. We want to create fashion with a significance and a meaning – that is the value of fashion today.”

Prada FW23 can be seen in the gallery above, while a full breakdown of Hypebeast’s Milan Fashion Week FW23 coverage can be found here.