Magic was in the air at Prada’s SS24 show in Milan. As the minor strings of Bernard Hermann’s Vertigo soundtrack played, a wall of clear slime cut through the runway. This was a collection dedicated to craft - not the supernatural kind, the Miuccia Prada kind. Backstage after the show, Mrs Prada explained she was tired of talking about ideas - “let’s talk about clothes”. Straight to the point. Raf Simons added, “We wanted to show what we could do.” What they did was create a quintessential Prada collection: super fine organza and gazar dresses, aptly called ‘Haze’ glided behind the girls, suspended in air; mini wool shorts were belted at the waist; printed floral shirts took flight with fringing; crystal embroidery twinkled, sequins spiralled and metal fringing gleamed (one of Simons’ favourite techniques). The inspiration for these came from Mrs Prada’s grandfather Mario, who founded the company in 1913. His curiosity led him around the world, journeying to find precious materials and craftsmanship. The prettiness of it all was grounded in tough leather jackets and robust, worn bar jackets, as they walked to the rock and roll sounds of Babes in Toyland’s Bruise Violet. Pratical magic, perfectly Prada.

prada.com