This fresh, current, young, optimistic and occasionally ironic show defines Prada’s Spring/Summer 2017 collection for men and women.
The image is of a man out to discover the world, a carefree yet careful adventurer, eager to explore different cultures. The omnipresent oversize backpack, packed chock-full, shows him to be prepared for any eventuality. Formal shoes hang on the backpack, while the men wear casual sandals and fun explorer’s hats. This is a colourful, vibrant collection, full of prints that make sideways reference to various little-known parts of the world, without being overtly ethnic.
The women’s collection, with high-heeled shoes hanging from handbags, is more formal than the men’s but takes the same approach as it, providing a natural complement.
The catwalk space comprises a stratification of architectures, in which the previous environment is used as a base for a new overlapping one. A linear metallic ramp-like structure divides the space longitudinally and serves both as a catwalk and as two ranges of seating for the spectators around the edges of the space. These structures are covered in metal mesh in a variety of patterns and dimensions, through which the underlying material is just visible. The space is lit with a coloured glow that blurs the edges of the various levels of the installation, giving the illusion that the models are levitating on the plane in the centre of the room. The psychedelic tones of this central plane give it a futuristic appeal.