For Spring/Summer 2023 menswear, Prada proclaimed its latest collection an expression of curated processes. Throughout, the fashion is evoked through context, with a juxtaposition of elements and garments leaving a marked impression and style. It is the apex of what Miuccia Prada and Raf Simmons do best, packaged into a single collection.
The show – held in Milan at the Deposito at Fondazione Prada – celebrated the practice of design and the decision-making, curation and creation of pieces. Archetypal pieces are central to the collection, including suits, overcoats, sweaters, shirts, denim and leather. These traditional garments are reimagined in the context of the show, with a layer of complexity behind apparently simple results; a process of refinement, uncovering the fundamentals of dressing.
Silhouettes are pulled close to the body, with their shapes evocative of youth, emitting energy and vitality. An inherent freshness and lightness to the collection permits the body to move freely, this achieved through the dynamic form of each garment crafted. Pieces are streamlined, with collars removed from shirts and coats, trousers cropped at ankles or into shorts. Accessories of note included oversized tote bags in sage, combat boots – a Prada staple – and exaggerated eyewear made to make a statement.
Individual garments come together in inventive combinations, with leather shorts paired with checked patterns simultaneously evoking childhood memories, domestication or sophistication through their elevated form. This is similarly referenced in the show decor, conceptualising intimacy through a mocked-up house made entirely in raw-edged paper. It acts as a reflection of the everyday, functioning as something exceptional, a core theme of the Prada Menswear 2023 collection. Concluding the show was a series of tailored black suits, stripping back to basics in a celebration of refinement and consideration.
Guests in attendance included Odell Beckham Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal, Rami Malek, Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union among others.
