vintage_princess
Adorable illusion
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(taken from vogue.co.uk)
(vogue.co.uk)
THICK, wide-ribbed cream tights, bamboo-heeled wedges and a subtly silver brocade coat: those are the season's must-haves. How do we know? Miuccia Prada of course. We bumped into the Italian designer and doyenne of international style at the annual Sunday Times Style lecture in the British Museum last night, where she was being interviewed by Colin McDowell for the benefit of a gaggle of students, journalists and high fashion folk all desperate to know the secrets of her incredible success. Late onto the stage because "like a true Italian mother she has just answered a call from her family in Milan," explained McDowell (who admitted that he was more excited about interviewing Mrs Prada than anybody before her), Miuccia's first declaration was, simply, that she didn't know what those secrets were. "There was never a plan for this," she said. "It really just happened. I don't recognise myself in what Prada now is. I'm just busy working at it." Mother to two teenage boys whom, she says, "are of course welcome" to join the family business but she "has no idea yet whether they will want to", Prada dismissed questions about the fact that she famously began her career in politics. "Everybody with some brain studied and worked in politics at that time," she said. "I was not exceptional." But would she consider re-entering politics later in life? "Funnily enough I was invited to the other day," she admitted, side-stepping the inevitable query as to who had approached her. "Perhaps one day, when I am very old I will do it." With 300 shops around the world and her catwalks watched more closely perhaps than any other in the world, Miuccia claims that she doesn't mind if Prada fans don't fully understand the concept of each collection. "If I haven't expressed myself correctly, that is my fault," she says. "I don't get cross with the journalists". "What a relief," laughed McDowell. "As the fashion writer banned from more fashion shows than any other, I am pleased to hear you say that. What a pity more are not like you."
The Miuccia Prada interview, continued:
Q: Would you ever consider doing a line for H&M in the same way as Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney have?
A: "I have talked about it as they did ask me. I think it is an interesting concept and I would love to work on an entire collection using inexpensive materials. What I don't like is the idea of copying the main collection straight out. I think it should be treated as a whole new innovation."
Q: Why the timid runway appearance at the end of the catwalk each season – when other designers stride the length of the catwalk to huge applause?
A: "Historically I tend to refuse any of the clichés of my job. Besides I'm not stupid – I don't want to compete with all the gorgeous models who have just appeared before me!"
Q: What do you look for in a model?
A: "It is unnatural for me to choose the girls and I don't enjoy it. I hate the idea of judging a human being in that way, I find it very embarrassing. The moment they enter the room I decide whether they are right for the show because it is their personality that has to strike me first. I'm looking for the woman who can represent my idea better than any other."
Q: Is fashion art?
A: "It can be if it is approached by an artist as an artist, but a fashion designer creating a collection is not art as such. It has artistic elements, of course, but the process is different."
Q: Why are accessories so important to fashion?
A: "I was born into accessories and everybody said we would never be successful with clothes because we started that way. Now it has reversed and you cannot be a fashion designer unless you do shoes and bags. I think dressing is a very complicated process if you are interested in fashion and you want to express yourself through it. A bag or a pair of shoes is a good way to identify yourself stylistically without having to be stressed with the entire outfit.
Q: Which other designers do you admire?
A: "I can never answer that question because whenever my peers are asked the same one they either mention names of dead designers or designers who haven't made one single penny!"
Q: Do you wear clothes by any other designers?
A: "Only if they are dead or poor!"
(vogue.co.uk)
THICK, wide-ribbed cream tights, bamboo-heeled wedges and a subtly silver brocade coat: those are the season's must-haves. How do we know? Miuccia Prada of course. We bumped into the Italian designer and doyenne of international style at the annual Sunday Times Style lecture in the British Museum last night, where she was being interviewed by Colin McDowell for the benefit of a gaggle of students, journalists and high fashion folk all desperate to know the secrets of her incredible success. Late onto the stage because "like a true Italian mother she has just answered a call from her family in Milan," explained McDowell (who admitted that he was more excited about interviewing Mrs Prada than anybody before her), Miuccia's first declaration was, simply, that she didn't know what those secrets were. "There was never a plan for this," she said. "It really just happened. I don't recognise myself in what Prada now is. I'm just busy working at it." Mother to two teenage boys whom, she says, "are of course welcome" to join the family business but she "has no idea yet whether they will want to", Prada dismissed questions about the fact that she famously began her career in politics. "Everybody with some brain studied and worked in politics at that time," she said. "I was not exceptional." But would she consider re-entering politics later in life? "Funnily enough I was invited to the other day," she admitted, side-stepping the inevitable query as to who had approached her. "Perhaps one day, when I am very old I will do it." With 300 shops around the world and her catwalks watched more closely perhaps than any other in the world, Miuccia claims that she doesn't mind if Prada fans don't fully understand the concept of each collection. "If I haven't expressed myself correctly, that is my fault," she says. "I don't get cross with the journalists". "What a relief," laughed McDowell. "As the fashion writer banned from more fashion shows than any other, I am pleased to hear you say that. What a pity more are not like you."
The Miuccia Prada interview, continued:
Q: Would you ever consider doing a line for H&M in the same way as Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney have?
A: "I have talked about it as they did ask me. I think it is an interesting concept and I would love to work on an entire collection using inexpensive materials. What I don't like is the idea of copying the main collection straight out. I think it should be treated as a whole new innovation."
Q: Why the timid runway appearance at the end of the catwalk each season – when other designers stride the length of the catwalk to huge applause?
A: "Historically I tend to refuse any of the clichés of my job. Besides I'm not stupid – I don't want to compete with all the gorgeous models who have just appeared before me!"
Q: What do you look for in a model?
A: "It is unnatural for me to choose the girls and I don't enjoy it. I hate the idea of judging a human being in that way, I find it very embarrassing. The moment they enter the room I decide whether they are right for the show because it is their personality that has to strike me first. I'm looking for the woman who can represent my idea better than any other."
Q: Is fashion art?
A: "It can be if it is approached by an artist as an artist, but a fashion designer creating a collection is not art as such. It has artistic elements, of course, but the process is different."
Q: Why are accessories so important to fashion?
A: "I was born into accessories and everybody said we would never be successful with clothes because we started that way. Now it has reversed and you cannot be a fashion designer unless you do shoes and bags. I think dressing is a very complicated process if you are interested in fashion and you want to express yourself through it. A bag or a pair of shoes is a good way to identify yourself stylistically without having to be stressed with the entire outfit.
Q: Which other designers do you admire?
A: "I can never answer that question because whenever my peers are asked the same one they either mention names of dead designers or designers who haven't made one single penny!"
Q: Do you wear clothes by any other designers?
A: "Only if they are dead or poor!"
Miuccia pulls off interviews remarkably well; I don't recall reading a single one that hasn't made me adore her. 
