Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Milan Fashion Week: Prada unveil first collection with Raf Simons, women’s spring/summer 2021 – think minimal, monochrome and uniform-inspired

STORYReuters
Prada’s spring/summer 2021 women's collection, presented during Milan Fashion Week, marked a return to minimalism. Photo: Prada/Reuters
Miuccia Prada went back to her trademark minimalist style for her first collection with Belgian designer Raf Simons, who joined the Italian fashion group as co-creative director in February.
A model presents a creation from Prada’s spring/summer 2021 women's collection during Milan Fashion Week. Photo: Prada/Reuters

The pair’s spring/summer 2021 women’s show was streamed live on Thursday for Milan Fashion Week, where most collections are being presented digitally and without audiences due to Covid-19 social distancing rules.

Prada’s spring/summer 2021 women’s collection presentation was streamed live during Milan Fashion Week. Photo: Prada/Reuters

“It’s a really strange situation,” Prada said in a video after the show, where she and Simons answered questions from people around the world. “But we have the occasion to really show the clothes. We can’t see the real people, the public, but at least we hope you can enjoy and see the clothes better.”

Models wore mostly black and white or pastel-coloured vests, trousers and long skirts in simple, monochrome designs which Prada said were inspired by the idea of uniforms. Many clothes had round-shaped holes cut out of the fabric.

Milan Fashion Week: D&G show goes on despite coronavirus fears

“Clothes are pared-back, refined, focused, without superfluous decoration: shell tops, straight pants, overcoats in industrial re-nylon [regenerated nylon],” the brand said in a statement.

Simons, 52, said he had never expected to be one day co-designing a collection with Prada, but that he was “extremely happy” with the result.

Prada’s spring/summer 2021 women’s collection is the result of a collaboration between Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons. Photo: Prada/Reuters

“Maybe it’s harder as you have more dialogue, and that can also impact the timing, but all in all I find it easier,” he said when asked what it was like to jointly create a collection. “Decision-making for me is strengthened when I know that Miuccia likes very much what I also like very much. Even if I am convinced, my decision is strengthened when I know that she too is convinced.”

After becoming one of Italy’s best-known fashion houses, Prada has struggled in recent years.

Prada’s spring/summer 2021 collection is “pared-back, refined, focused, without superfluous decoration” according to the brand. Photo: Prada/Reuters
Prada’s spring/summer 2021 women’s collection includes vests, shell tops, trousers, long skirts, straight pants, and overcoats, among others. Photo: Prada/Reuters

A restructuring drive began to pay off in 2018. Sales returned to growth for the first time in four years thanks to a new strategy aimed at rejuvenating the label by renovating shops, launching new products and boosting online sales.

But the Hong Kong-listed group has, like luxury rivals, been hit hard by the pandemic, which forced high-end houses to temporarily shut shops and idle manufacturing sites.

Money talks: peak handbag, pricey K-dramas, fashion’s rich list

Some of Prada’s spring/summer 2021 women's collection was inspired by uniforms. Photo: Prada/Reuters

Simons’ appointment, announced in February, marked the first time the Italian fashion house has hired an outsider to work with its head designer. He was most recently creative director at Calvin Klein and before that at Christian Dior and Jil Sander.

Prada and Simons hold a press conference in Milan, Italy, on the sidelines of Milan Fashion Week. Photo: AP Photo

Miuccia Prada, 71, said at the time the move was not intended to pave the way for a possible succession as the group’s top designer.

Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter .

This article originally appeared on Reuters.

Former creative at Calvin Klein and Christian Dior, Prada’s new co-creative Raf Simons is the first outsider to work with head designer Miucca Prada – together the pair unveiled the Italian luxury fashion brand’s latest minimalist, uniform-inspired spring/summer 2021 women’s collection, live-streamed from Milan Fashion Week