Prada S/S 2012 Milan

[purplethistle]

I only like some of the skirts where the softness of the material is juxtaposed against the images relating to hot rod cars.

 

[Tentacl Ventricl]

I'm always a little wary of the present generation's eagerness to be nostalgic about any "golden" era of the past for the reasons you mention, myself (look at the Tea Party in the US, for example). The romanticization of the fifties especially.

But at the same time, I respect the effort to forget the bad and "reclaim" the good -- some women just want to play around with these images. The reasons can be purely aesthetic but I imagine quite a few women are well aware of the trickiness of that wholesome fifties image and would like to turn it on its head a little bit (notice the bare midriff styling, for example). The style.com review mentions it, but there's a little bit of toughness in here as well. Hints of something more. Hints of other options.

Is it a corporate bet? I don't know. I have some faith in Miuccia as the style-driver here (and I admit it's because she's a woman, heh), but even if it was a bet, I suppose there's a good reason for it. Maybe the Mad Men obsession is real. In which case, wow...more complicated questions and implications here. This topic could go on for a while.

One litttttle nitpick re: the word "should:" I think women will be what they want and react how they want. Not how they should.

If I substitute 'might' for 'should' does that fix the 'nitpick'?

Because, I think we understand each other very well in fact.

What you're saying about turning the 50's iconography on it's head, yes that's there. Presenting the dress codes with irony, an aspect of deconstruction. It keeps her artworld friends like Carsten Holler and Francesco Vezzoli on side. How clever, how postmodern, they snark.

But Miuccia has said she's making a 'bet' on 'sweetness'. Cathy Horyn has the words in inverted commas so I've kept them in inverted commas. Miuccia's words. Not mine. And that's worth thinking through a little.

Because as the Prada influence passes down through the fashion food chain, the irony gets shorn off leaving only a kernel of pure nostalgia. You see that in the work of the designers who imitate the core Prada messages and silhouettes the following season. What falls off as the trend dissipates is the irony. But this process starts within the Prada corporation. Consider the campaign visuals. The irony is choked off there. It's an object lesson in the strategies of passing fashion branding through different stages, different audiences - from art, through editorial, to commerce.

What the Prada corporation think women want is nostalgia. Lacan is good on nostalgia. He links it to a weaning complex. And in times of threatened security, uncertainty and economic malaise, there is a strong drive toward that which comforts, romanticising the past as you rightly say. The consumption of sartorial product which operates like comfort food.

When the decades referenced are the 20's and/or the 60's, like last season, progressive decades, then that's not quite so pernicious. But, as I can see you agree with me, the 1950's associations are profoundly conservative.

Prada knows that at retail people, generally, don't want postmodern irony. The 'bet' is that, in troubled times, they want to be comforted with unreconstructed nostalgia for the 50's as a golden age. I fear that it might be a good bet. I would like it not to be.

If you read the Tim Blanks review again, whilst it's more at the level of subtext - I will make the points more directly - he's saying exactly what I am. I will post it.

 

[KKnardi]

I don't see what's so fantastic about this collection, the american-50's-car culture isn't that appealing imo.

 

[Tentacl Ventricl]

Tim Blanks Style.com

''Sweetness." Miuccia Prada's summation of her new collection was surprisingly direct. But only she could add a contrary gloss to an idea that, on the surface at least, seemed entirely benign. She'd been trying to wrap her head around this paradox: Why should a quality that the world at large considers such an asset to womanhood be so shunned by the fashion industry? That state of affairs is unlikely to prevail for much longer, given the crazy level of influence Miuccia wields over fashion (her dropped waists from Fall are other designers' big statement for Spring). So better ready yourself to Celebrate the Sweet.

Except no one else will be able to do it quite like this. Italian men have two meaningful relationships in their lives: women and cars. Miuccia put the two together—women in cars—and situated them in a moment in time (maybe the last such) when the world was awash with unambiguous hope for the future. That would be the 1950's. If the Prada men's collection for Spring was haunted by the ghost of Elvis, its female counterpart paraded echoes of Marilyn in her accordion-pleated dress from The Seven Year Itch. The models did walk over a subway grate, but it was unfortunately technically impossible to provide the updraft that would have gusted skirts skyward in a re-creation of one of Hollywood's most iconic movie moments.

There were, however, other, equally resonant ways for Miuccia to make her point. The celluloid iconography was irresistible: B-movie roadhouse gals in bandeau tops and leather pencil skirts that had been customized by their spray-painting mechanic boyfriends; David Lynch heroines in varsity jackets and sunray pleats; rhinestone cowgirls in studded Baracutas. If the sweetness in such tough cookies was a little elusive, Miuccia also offered coats in lace or crochet in palest pink and blue and bathing suits that begged for pinup poses round the pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Plus, the adorable print theme from the men's collection took an automotive turn. At the very least, Italian manhood will be happy. But the rest of the world should feel just as uplifted when the double whammy of Prada menswear and womenswear hits stores next spring. Dare you not to smile.
---

I dare not to smile. It's benign only on the surface.

 

[HeatherAnne]

Miuccia reigns the queen of fashion innovation in my eyes. I love how she took multiple elements of the 50s -- the florals, long fitted-coats, cars/diner inspiration, the full skirts, etc. and combined them into a cohesive collection. I'm not crazy about how literal some of the pieces are -- the actual car prints, and I wish they would have held back a bit (just a bit) on the shoes. Instead, I am more inspired by the way she took the shapes and waves of the car bumpers and incorporated them onto the fabrics; as well the flame patterns, and the silver car embellishments on the coats are genius. The colors, fabrics, and textures are exquisite as usual. It's all quite brilliant and wearable, the more I study it, the more I adore it.

 

[devoiche]

don't really see what's so gorgeous about this? theres an etiquette saying that's PRADA?
and cars.. like seriously?? you would really wear a yellow or white dress with all those ... emm .. CARS for a party? yeah i thought so..

 

[BibiRose]

Quirky collection. I adore the prints on the coats and the pleated dresses, as well as the colour palette. Shoes are also pretty. The car theme is somewhat refreshing. But... some of the pieces, for example those 'bikini' tops (on Julia Nobis and Lara Mullen), looked quite cheap. Plus I'm not a fan of the jewelry overload in the finishing looks, the hair and makeup aren't impressing at all. I don't know if I like it overall or not.

 

[dazzling85]

Don't like the printed coats, shapeless and the print isn't nice as well.
I liked the skirts and the chiffon dress/skirt/tops.

 

[liberty33r1b]

Freakin' fantastic. Absolutely brilliant and I love every piece on this collection.
The details are fun and playful and I can't even be bothered by car prints, the clothes remain feminine and girly. Want. Favorite collection of London, New York and Milan so far. Let's see if Paris can top this.

same here. i actually try not to feel sorry for everyone who doesn't get this collection, because it's literally perfection and the best show so far

 

[mistress_f]

and cars.. like seriously?? you would really wear a yellow or white dress with all those ... emm .. CARS for a party? yeah i thought so..

well i would. it depends on the party, of course, but why not? they're both sophisticated, elegant and fun.
there are far uglier and badly executed prints all over the red carpets all the time, something like this :

vogue.it

is fun but in an understaded way, it's not a tacky flash print.

and i'd personally wear the pink dress with the flames all the time, everywhere.

 

[luckyme]

immediately think of the mj car bags a few seasons ago

i thought of this as well. shoes on the other foot for a change.

 

[fashion.fashoff]

i do not share everybody's enthusiasm. the accessories are way too gimmicky. they remind me of a poor man's version of something thierry mugler did in 1992 (one of the few mugler items i dislike

brixpicks.com

the leather car bags look like a more expensive version of something your parents learned to make in a leather class at summer camp in the '60s

 

[Lee MG Tisci]

.

 

[dajrekshn]

i'm in an awe. it's a great collection and Prada continues to surprise me with constant orginality that's so rare for me personally when it comes to fashion nowadays. those heels and tops are comical in a fierce and quirky way which is appealing to me, that brown leather skirt is a MUST HAVE and those dresses are really great, subtle and coctail-ish. the only thing i kinda don't find awe-worthing are those "romantic" skirts cus i feel as if it's something i keep seeing in the last 2 years from different designers. obviously, i'm spoiled when it comes to Prada and my habit of seeing its collections as something i haven't seen done that way before.*



*on a side note, and this is just a conclusion i've made throughout the last years, i find it fascinating how much i love Miuccia's work for Prada and yet dislike the work she does for MiuMiu.

 

[strange gait]

This is great, my favorite collection so far.

 

[Deleted member 7575]

I don't get it.

Maybe it will grow on me, but all I see are some charmless overwrought pieces that will date themselves in a matter of months. I appreciate the humor and whimsical sensibility but I don't think it translated into anything compelling or all that new. It's kitsch for the sake of kitsch -- which never makes great results.

 

[bluedolphin]

Prada always best

 

[sobigsobig]

Not as excited
This show was very successful
It is always on top
This is a fact

 

[coldlunch]

I PRADA, nuf said

actually no, I luv Prada like a fatboy loves a bucket of KFC

 

[Not Plain Jane]

Tentacl Ventricl - thanks for posting Tim Blanks' review. Also I enjoyed your references to Lacan on nostalgia. As Blanks says "Italian manhood will be happy." Women in cars. Cars on women. Ugh. And "Mad Men" all over the place. In unsettled times, what a sad place to return to, imo. Nope. Not exactly "sweet" when you dig deeper. Irony or not.