Published
February 27, 2025

Once, Milan was the fur-wearing capital of Western Europe. Now—even after PETA—it is again, most notably at Thursday's Prada show, where Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons presented their strongest female fashion statements of the decade.

 Empowering, gutsy, and crammed full of unexpected silhouettes, this was a first-rate collection unveiled in a high-paced show within a giant metal scaffolding spiderweb set—courtesy of master Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. The men's show in January had the same set and blue Art Deco carpet but with a radically different fashion vision.

 A collection led by a striking series of rhomboid dresses and coats with scalloped necklines, all sewn with raw, unfinished seams and worn with evident pride by the cast. They practically set a new fashion record with the speed they dashed by. Voluminous but never overpowering, dresses in black gabardine wool, calico, or jersey were completed with displaced buttons and flap pockets, while skirts featured cunning waistlines gathered like the tops of curtains.

We are not saying these ideas were in any way a lift, but if someone had told you the ghost of Alber Elbaz was working in the Prada atelier, it would not have been surprising.

This led to a series of Cindy Sherman lookalikes in pajama tops and crushed taffeta skirts—frizzy blondes with bookish glasses and oversized ribbon and strass chokers.

Furs then appeared as big-collared brown bear peacoats that ended at the crotch; waxy A-line coats resembling a hipster Yeti; and grand felt wool overcoats with massive faux sable stoles. Everything was cut very short.

Prada accessories stood out, too, from the burnished beige leather handbag to the pointy slingbacks with exposed seams.

 Though the collection was great, Prada as a brand—or as an event—is perhaps not quite the epitome of cool it once was. Too many teenyboppers outside screaming at Asian stars, just like any other show. Too many movie stars surrounded by a dozen agents, lackeys, and hangers-on. To paraphrase Mark 8:36: What does it profit a beautiful young actress to gain the world but spend her life being constantly— I mean constantly—photographed and videotaped by people on her own payroll?

 Still, this was a standout collection that will be highly influential, earning Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons a huge ovation as they walked down the three levels of scaffolding. The show also comes in the wake of the departure of Dario Vitale as design director from Miu Miu, the hottest label in the Prada empire. As a result, fashion has been flooded by blogger blather, influencer tattle, and even comments from reasonably clever people that his departure was a major loss for Miu Miu. Well, this felt like Miuccia's bases-loaded home run stylistic response to that chatter. I can handle it, she made clear.