Trust the ever-inventive Miuccia Prada to bury the rest of designers when it comes to interpreting trends. For Spring/Summer 2016, Prada trades in the pastel pastiche of last season for serious suiting upholstered in a huge array of mixed materials, earthen hues, and graphic stripes before changing course toward the iridescent and super-funky.
Early looks courted the 60s, with crisp, boxy jackets and paneled skirts cobbled together from a mix of plaids and racing striped trim that was mired beneath woven overlays and a funky assortment of geodesic jewelry. Prada then lightens the mood with a series of sheer printed suits — yes, sheer suits — that worked as a kind of eccentric update on loungewear. From there, Prada spliced together leather, suede, and reptile skins to create quirky 70s-era looks that heavily favored bold graphics. The collection continued with a dizzying display of mixed patterns, bold hues, and densely worked fabrics, which made for looks that were unconventional but extremely glamorous (especially in the case of Prada’s gorgeous striped astrakhan coats). The unrelenting pace of panoply took a turn for the glitzy toward the end, as looks came down the runway in a shiny display of silver snakeskin stripes and sequin discs which amplified feminine suiting in a dazzling way. For the forthcoming spring/summer season, Prada’s maximalism paves the way for a seriously recherché wardrobe that boldly goes where no wardrobe has gone before.
Photos: Courtesy of Imaxtree
