A model wears a creation part of the Prada women's Fall-Winter 2017-18 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
MILAN - Italian fashion house Prada
brought to the catwalk soft and strong designs in an
attempt to define the role of women in society, in a powerful
show ending the second day of Milan's fashion week.
The women imagined by Miuccia Prada, founder and creative
director of the eponymous luxury group, wore corduroy pants,
biker berets, and long velvet skirts that recalled women
protests of the 1970s.
"I don't want to talk politics with fashion... but I want to
do it my way, in a subtle way," Miuccia Prada told reporters
ahead of the show.
A model presents a creation from the Prada Autumn/Winter 2017 women collection during Milan's Fashion Week, in Milan
Models paraded down the catwalk to the sound of electronic
music wearing woollen caps, rough brown pant suits and duffle
coats. The set appeared to be a home, filled with cozy seats and
beds with flower linens and posters on the walls.
Their heads were adorned by bonnets that resembled lion
manes, making them appear regal and strong.
A model presents a creation from the Prada Autumn/Winter 2017 women collection during Milan's Fashion Week, in Milan
But moments later they slipped into sequined coloured,
designs decorated with delicate marabou feathers or knee-length
mermaid tail skirts.
"(In the collection) there are all those typical womanly
things, like flowers and fringes and feathers... mixed with more
serious clothes, made for a combating woman," said Prada, adding
that all sides of a woman should coexist.
She explained that the matching of the pieces of her
collections were "crude, immediate and direct, not
sophisticated" and the frequent use of wool pieces was symbolic
of both women at home and of fashion in the 70s.
"There are random touches of whatever came to my mind," she
said.
Still run by its founders, Miuccia Prada and Patrizio
Bertelli, Prada sticks to its subdued elegance through which it
conveys clear messages.
Designer Prada, a great lover and supporter of contemporary
art, uses her clothes as a canvas for experimenting with
fashion, colours, textiles and textures, yet never distancing
herself from her well-established, and admired, identity.
A model presents a creation from the Prada Autumn/Winter 2017 women collection during Milan's Fashion Week, in Milan
The Hong-Kong listed group said last week that sales had
accelerated in the past two months, particularly in China and
Russia, and that it expects to return to profit growth this
year. The Milan-based group reported a 10 percent fall in
revenue for 2016.
Milan Fashion Week runs until Feb. 27, with major brands
Giorgio Armani, Versace, Missoni and Dolce & Gabbana still to
unveil their designs.
(Reporting by Giulia Segreti; editing by Diane Craft)
Reuters