THIS SEASON'S FALL 09, Miuccia PRADA has unleashed the animalistic sense of the woman in her. This is quite the divergence from what she recently launched in Milan last September for Spring 09. For Prada's Spring collection, the designer demonstrated more of a delicate deconstruction, where the women wore wrinkled fabrics in shades of golds, coppers, neutrals such as black, whites, and creams, glimpses of deep red, and finally some snake skin prints. Most of the pieces followed an asymmetrical theme, finished off with a string tied into a bow cleverly added to the construction of the garment. The shoes that complimented this collection also displayed more of the usual take for the Prada fashion house—incredibly high platforms, some with snakeskin materials and others are with what appeared to look like slip on short socks with some very feminine bows affixed tying in with the aesthetics of the rest of the Spring line.
ON THE CONTRARY, for the Fall 09 show in Milan just this first of March, Miuccia’s response from her own Spring’s deconstruction is her version of a now reconstructed fall female warrior. She appeared fiercely dressed to enter into this ongoing volatile market, wearing her ultra thigh high leather boots ready to combat any new challenges that the corporate jungle may throw her way. A style revamp that definitely differentiates itself from the intricate flowery platforms she showed from her last Spring collection.
STAYING TRUE to her original fashion interpretations, the woman of Prada still stands rather refined, but instead of accentuating her femininity, Winter 09 shows her roaring down that runway in her survival of the fittest mode showcasing strong suits and jackets. The posture of the suit tops are robust with pronounced lapels yet synched with thin belts. These women look wild with their ruffled up hairdos, a reminiscent of 40’s elegance walking through the perfect economic storm.
EVEN STILL, Miuccia does not send her muse out there ill prepared, along with exuding much sex appeal, she is certainly ready to endure any upcoming winter blizzards --exhibiting heavy thick leather dresses with flower studded embroideries, featured with some very deep V cuts, perhaps to balance off the heavy look. Lush furs and heavy wools of vests, sleeveless dresses, and jackets in dark browns, blacks, and vibrant reds, swagger down the runway giving off this primitive hunger from the sharp Prada business woman.AS I MENTIONED in my previous article my focus thereafter will be to capture any CHANGE in behavior or trends that may key us into how we are adapting to this unsettling financial atmosphere--now known as the KARL MARX PROJECT. I think that the fashion industry is a platform where instantaneous results can and will reveal itself as it is forced to have an immediate response to the market. With that in mind, there appears to be three approaches to the response that fashion designers have in addressing or shall we say dressing this ever so persistent recession. Some designers are putting much focus on the quality control of each piece. They want to respect the consumer in understanding that luxury has to be worth its actual value enable to continue to justify spending in these economic times. Other designers are showing a deconstructed look to their collections to address an inevitable rebuilding of something that has been broken down, which is what Prada already alluded to for her Spring line 09. And lastly, there is the third approach that has been dominating the runways as of recent. It is the rebirth of the woman conqueror; and as usual, the house of Prada delivers an intense, intelligent, and focused rendition specifically dedicated to this financially troubling era. Muccia decides to go back to her roots this season as she gives us her feminist view of a woman dressed to compete in an environment that more than ever calls for a Darwinian wardrobe.
