The Prada aesthetic thrives on contradiction. It all started in 1913, when Mario Prada founded the Milanese house as a purveyor of fine handmade leather goods. Decades later, his granddaughter Miuccia Prada took over the reins, transforming the brand into a symbol of intellectual elegance and subtle provocation. Since the late 1970s, she has continuously questioned and redefined ideas of beauty, taste and modern luxury. Sharp tailoring, ironic minimalism and a distinct sense of Italian chic remain its language.
As a style editor and longtime observer of fashion narratives, I find Prada’s world endlessly layered and deeply inspiring. This house thrives in the tension between elegance and awkwardness, nostalgia and futurism. These three recent chapters reflect that unique vision.
Prada AW25 show, courtesy of Prada
Shanghai surprise
The show in Shanghai was set between bold scaffold structures and a rich carpet designed by Catherine Martin. And the main questions of this collection were: what does femininity mean today, and how can we trace its outlines in construction, silhouette and surface? The answers played out across the 50+ looks.
Uniforms revisited
From schoolgirls to office workers, uniforms have long been a recurring theme. Prada reinterprets these codes with precision. This collection continued that thread: grey pleated skirts, pointed pumps and sculptural jackets that balanced restraint with presence. The silhouette was pared back. And there were standout looks, like the pyjama-style blouse paired with a pleated skirt with strikingly deep folds that cinched at the waist.
Signature bags
Prada’s bags carry their own language. There is the OG nylon rucksack from the 1980s. Also the Galleria, named after Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, remains a defining piece: structured, clean-lined, and made in signature saffiano leather. Meanwhile, the Re-Nylon line reimagines 1980s designs in ECONYL, a regenerated nylon. This is Prada’s new material approach.
So, what is the Prada aesthetic?
Always unmistakably Italian, Prada leans into its contradictions. Chic meets awkward. Beauty meets irony. There is always more beneath the surface. And that is what keeps it relevant and stylish.
Images AW25 show, courtesy of Prada
Discover: www.prada.com
