MFW diary: Miuccia’s mashups soar to new heights at Prada

feb11-mfw-prada
Photography by Matteo Bazzi/EPA/Keystone Press.
feb11-mfw-prada
Photography by Matteo Bazzi/EPA/Keystone Press.

Stuffed full of pasta—my favourite, Spaghetti Rosa once again—and a good Chianti, I can now happily digest both my dinner and the Prada collection.  Prada shows have a tendency to get overly scrutinized so I’ll try some free association. When I think of the super-strong collection that just blasted by me, three little words instantly come to mind:
 innocent, fresh and modern.
 Okay, and a few more: the return of the coat dress, the swishy sound of saucer-size sequins as they waft by, the subtly beautiful blush pastel colour palette mixed with strong and clear reds. I loved Miuccia’s typical mashups of ‘20s, ‘40s and ‘60s, exaggerated swimcaps and goggles… or are they aviator hats? I promised I wouldn’t over-think.

In one fell swoop, Miuccia virtually banishes the waistline and puts the emphasis instead, squarely on the hip. With all the strict longer skirts we’re just beginning to adjust to, her above-the knee-lengths feel puzzlingly new. I’m a sucker for a low slung back belt and her short boxy coats feature them in spades along with pleats, oversize buttons, giant check prints and scooped out backs.
  When its all said and done, a fresh and modern take on embellishment (with or without sequins) proves why Prada continues to shine so bright.

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