Key facts
- Prada's Milan Fashion Week collection consisted of 63 looks, all featuring skirts.
- No dresses or trousers were included in the Prada collection.
- Miuccia Prada prefers skirts for their ability to create contrast between feminine and masculine elements.
- Raf Simons stated that the focus on skirts was Prada's idea.
- Donatella Versace is launching a new brand with Revolve Inc., focusing initially on beauty products.
- Pieter Mulier, formerly of Alaïa, will debut as the new designer for Versace next season.
Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons presented a collection at Milan Fashion Week that exclusively featured skirts, marking a departure from traditional fashion show structures. The entire 63-look lineup focused on skirts, with no dresses or trousers shown, emphasizing Prada's personal style and her philosophy of using clothing to express complex, contradictory ideas. Simons explained that the concept originated with Prada, who prefers skirts for their potential to blend feminine and masculine elements, unlike a dress which he described as "all one idea."
Details of the skirts included A-line shapes, often knee-length, with variations like a grey wool skirt revealing a polka-dot slip, a lemon skirt accented with embroidered tulle, pleated leather, and daisy-printed silk under sheer gauze. The looks were styled with bare legs and minimal heels, paired variously with lace bras, sweaters, or shirts, highlighting the skirt's versatility for different occasions.
In other Milan fashion news, Donatella Versace announced the upcoming launch of a new brand in partnership with California-based Revolve Inc., which will initially focus on beauty products. Versace, at 71, remains a prominent figure in fashion with a significant social media following. Her brand will not have a show this Milan Fashion Week as new designer Pieter Mulier, who joined from Alaïa, prepares his debut for the following season. The Armani group is also undergoing a transition with the appointment of Dario Vitale to the Emporio Armani brand, seen as a potential successor to the late Giorgio Armani.
This period of change is noted as unusual for Milan, a city historically known for stability and family-run fashion dynasties. The shift away from established norms is also seen at Fendi, where the matriarchy has stepped back and appointed Maria Grazia Chiuri to lead the brand.