Even though I rarely wore much of them, I liked the Miu Miu men's collections, but I think that in a business sense it isn't a big loss. As others said, the menswear was always second/an afterthought to the Miu Miu womenswear and didn't seem all that distinctive from the Prada menswear collections. Also, they didn't really market it well or really try to get it "out there" in the public eye like they do the mainline.
So, I'd like to see some of the creative talent or design team from the Miu Miu line combined with the Prada men's line, so we could have one strengthened/better men's collection coming from Prada group, rather than two so-so ones.
As for the mention of keeping Prada sport and such, that's just business. Regardless of what we fashion purists would like to see, those sneakers and red striped tees and windbreakers sell (and sell a lot!) The actual mainline menswear collections probably make less than .001% of the Group's profits.
So, if we like anything in a Prada collection or feel that any part of it might be creative or unique, much of that freedom comes from the fact that Miuccia always has a fallback of accessories and the sport line to cushion her against a poor-selling mainline collection. Like Prada or not, they're smart business people. There are LOTs more creative/talented/brilliant designers out there, but many of them are either out of work, looking for work, or BARELY able to make enough to keep their doors open. One or two poor-selling mainline collections and they have to close their doors. Period.
Love her or hate her, miuccia has long since had to stop worrying about that and can, essentially, create what she wants. It's a position that works in the world in which we live; we can talk about "art" all day long, but fashion is a business and good ideas and being the one to die/go out of business in the name of artistic integrity doesn't pay the rent.
