Do you know what it means to be a Prada Pirate? Well, you will after this...
Read on as our fashion director Rebecca Lowthorpe takes us on a voyage, sailing behind the scenes and onto the catwalk of Prada AW16.
1.) The Words
'Collage of a woman, collage of life,’ said Miuccia Prada backstage after her powerful show, trapped as ever in the middle of a journalist scrum.
Please understand: Mrs P’s words are everything at Prada. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand them; you’ve just got to get them. This means digging in, shoving your phone (on record) under her nose and hoping it tapes.
So here goes:
‘Love, no love, pain and happiness – every gender of a woman’, she said. Right. Good.
‘The idea of a vagabond through her life’… OK, got it.
Mrs P also referenced the French Revolution and Louis XIV, adding that gold was a ‘symbol of beauty, royalty and empowerment’.
2.) The Clothes
The most impressive for some time. Every model lavishly layered, like a ‘collage’! The outerwear – coats and jackets – were gorgeous, from tweed hunting jackets to capes to military coats.
But hadn’t they tripped off some pirate ship? With their sailor caps and sailcloth tied around their waists, cinched like a corset? She didn’t say – that would be too, er, literal - except these were intentionally ‘sexy’. Yes, she definitely used the word ‘sexy’. And ‘vagabonds’ – so this was the season of the sexy vagabond Prada pirates who had dug up treasure in the form of glamorous shiny gold jacquard coats and dresses… I want to be a Prada Pirate.
3.) The Accessories
Everywhere. All over. Teeny-tiny bags dangled from necklaces and cinched waists along with keys and rings, while sleek handbags and saddlebags were strapped across the body. There were tyre tread hiking boots, T-bars with golden metal tipped heels and suede boots laced up to the knee. Leather belts clasped waists. Gloves were all knitted, some with skull and cross bones. And legs wore diamond argyle tights…
Beneath all the styling were clothes, real clothes. Rejoice! And join the Prada pirate gang.