Prada Mens F/W 08.09 Milan

[Zazie]

It's true there are amazing details and textures here - many of us have commented on that, but then WHY do the tutus and panties??? Surely she would have known the derision this will bring, at the expense of the rest of the positive aspects. So she is doing this intentionally (well, no one puts a tutu on a man "accidentally") - it's either a publicity stunt or she's really out of her mind. Either possibility is equally unpalatable. And no, YSL would NEVER attempt something so ridiculous and godawful, his is an aesthetic androgynous, dark, sexy, elegantly smouldering, done with humour and wit, not little tutus any girl over the age of 5 would be embarassed to be seen in, not to mention grown men. Show me an old YSL men's collection with tutus and I'll eat my silk organza hat. Even the most hideous stuff Bernherd Wilhelm sends down the runway evokes some respect with its strange beauty. Most importantly, BW has always been sincere. I'd been open-minded about Prada in the past, even loving the techno Big-Bird fur, but this time it feels like mockery, not the intelligent kind, just crude. I guess I've had enough of this stupid stunt.

[vanwood]

I really like the ideas here, a lot of it is completely unwearable, but surely ideas are what count on the runway otherwise we are just talking apparel no?

[KindlyCuddly]

Originally Posted by Zazie

It's true there are amazing details and textures here - many of us have commented on that, but then WHY do the tutus and panties??? Surely she would have known the derision this will bring, at the expense of the rest of the positive aspects. So she is doing this intentionally (well, no one puts a tutu on a man "accidentally") - it's either a publicity stunt or she's really out of her mind. Either possibility is equally unpalatable. And no, YSL would NEVER attempt something so ridiculous and godawful, his is an aesthetic androgynous, dark, sexy, elegantly smouldering, done with humour and wit, not little tutus any girl over the age of 5 would be embarassed to be seen in, not to mention grown men. Show me an old YSL men's collection with tutus and I'll eat my silk organza hat. Even the most hideous stuff Bernherd Wilhelm sends down the runway evokes some respect with its strange beauty. Most importantly, BW has always been sincere. I'd been open-minded about Prada in the past, even loving the techno Big-Bird fur, but this time it feels like mockery, not the intelligent kind, just crude. I guess I've had enough of this stupid stunt.

Why would Miuccia Prada EVER have to resort to publicity stunts? Look beyond the damn tutus and ask yourself why she might include those feminine elements in the collection? Look at the way in which the tutus and halter garments are utilized...I find them loaded with social context and I believe she's making a statement on modern gender polarization. Not everything in fashion boils down to purely aesthetics...there is relevance behind even a damn tutu that transcends notions of appropriateness....not like most people will wear anything that's coming down that runway, ignoring the tutus. That is my interpretation. If she was trying to churn out something simply pleasing to the eye she could have followed any of the bland formulas other menswear designers have been doing for years, which would have been boring as all hell. Fashion isn't just about filling your closet with pretty, wearable garments...there are political and social implications in design as well.

[YEYOUSUOMENG]

Prada is surprising me again

[Zsquared]

never liked prada... seems like i never will, either!

[redscarf]

Lighten up, it's just faaaaaaashion!

[Zazie]

Originally Posted by KindlyCuddly

Why would Miuccia Prada EVER have to resort to publicity stunts? Look beyond the damn tutus and ask yourself why she might include those feminine elements in the collection? Look at the way in which the tutus and halter garments are utilized...I find them loaded with social context and I believe she's making a statement on modern gender polarization. Not everything in fashion boils down to purely aesthetics...there is relevance behind even a damn tutu that transcends notions of appropriateness....not like most people will wear anything that's coming down that runway, ignoring the tutus. That is my interpretation. If she was trying to churn out something simply pleasing to the eye she could have followed any of the bland formulas other menswear designers have been doing for years, which would have been boring as all hell. Fashion isn't just about filling your closet with pretty, wearable garments...there are political and social implications in design as well.

Ok, tutus and mankinis = ???? First of all, if any of this has lately been a fringe-culture phenomenon worthy of note, then it might be interesting, you know, a lot of club kids suddenly sporting tutus. Did any of us mention "pretty clothes" even? Well, the tutus are pretty enough. I mean, I can send female models down the runway in jock-straps with visible phalluses sticking out or something, is that gender polarization??? Owowee, what a brainwave that is, pure genius, now I'm Derrida!

Feel free to think of a thousand of other "inappropriate" things that are actually, um, "deep", - how about tis one, animal tails stuck on models' arses for "species polarization". Not your commercial fashion show for sure!

[BerlinRocks]

Fashion isn't just about filling your closet with pretty, wearable garments...there are political and social implications in design as well.

ok... and as some people already said this, I quote making a statement on modern gender polarization, has already been done before.....
a long time before......
edited : made a mistake.... i just checked....
and Hedi Slimane thought about the androginy, too.... - as a lot of his customers were women.... this is a statement!

so please tell us what is bringing Miuccia with this collection that is sooo new - if we set aside the aesthetic?????

[gr77]

I don't mind androginy at all , I do mind ugliness however.This show is full of the latter

[cake_batter]

i personally can't wait to get my hands on the tight nude sweaters

[ilaughead]

Miuccia's gone too far. It's one thing to innovate and bring new things to fashion, but it's quite another to "be strange for the sake of being strange" as Spike said. I believe that fashion should be able to provide social commentary, but as fashion is a business, the clothes should be salable and wearable.

Fashion is not a competition for showing the most strange, bizarre things as possible. Strangeness simply isn't that difficult to accomplish. Tim Blanks says Miuccia turned "traditional concepts of masculinity...inside out." Did she really? In my next collection for a huge multinational corporation, I'm going to send my models out wearing ski masks, jackets with only one sleeve, watches worn as heart monitors, and, of course, riding chaps to show "male vulnerability".

As for the clothes themselves, I can't find a thing I like. The mini-skirts aren't bad. They aren't anywhere near 'good', but I'm not breaking into tears looking at them. The pants are awful, and I love new takes on pants. Everything metallic looks cheap. The trend is OVER. It seems some designers are only clinging to 'shiny' because it makes things look more expensive, which in theory makes them more desirable. The flesh-tone sweaters lack any sense of aesthetics. Lastly, the wifebeater vests and jockstrap cummerbunds are utterly ridiculous. And not in a good way. And that's not even mentioning the fact that those are a complete rip-off of Marc Jacobs S/S 08's tromp l'oeil underwear tops. The rest is a blend of her own Miu Miu women's S/S 08, and Martin Margiela women's S/S 08.

[ChristionCouture]

Stunning!

[MUXU]

er...oh wow. i like some of the pieces in the show, the less...distracting pieces.

she really took androgyny to a whole new level, man, look at those tutu minis. also took the whole "show ya boxer" look to a whole new level! instead of boxers, she have speedos! incredible

sarcasm aside, i love the color palette here. i do like the nude color here, i think this color can definitely be explored more. alot of the details are quite nice as well, such as the double collar, some of the prints on the shirts

[Crying Diamonds]

Who in their right mind, besides somebody in Right Said Fred would wear a nude top?

I love the grey jacket in the first post - very nicely done and I love the big bag, but i'm a sucker for bags.


The rest, I don't even think I'd be able to try and wear.

[awwwwfuq]

i think a lot of the pieces aren't meant to be profitable or sellable. miuccia just wanted to go on with her theme of surrealism. i guess it kinda could be like haute couture. it's just to be innovative and be the root of new ideas for men's fashions.