In the fashion capital of Milan, designers subtly voiced their unease amidst the worldwide turmoil through their collections, choosing not to directly address the issues but subtly weave their feelings and commentary into their art.
Esteemed designer Miuccia Prada projected an aura of optimism in the face of uncertainties, alluding to her belief in focusing on hopeful elements amidst challenging times. She clarified, however, that her intent wasn’t to encourage escapism but instead to propose something positive for the future. In her eyes, using the fashion platform to comment implicitly on the world’s circumstances isn’t an act of evasion but a vital responsibility.
Adding to the narrative were designers of the brand Simon Cracker, which was birthed fourteen years ago in opposition to the prevailing fashion industry norms with its upcycled collections. Their latest collection, poignantly titled “A Matter of Principle,” served as a heartrending tribute to “the children victims of matters of principle.”
The headlines of the third day of Menswear previews for Spring-Summer 2025 were dominated by Prada’s collection that toyed with the concept of imperfection. It featured seemingly shrunken tops, jackets, and hoodies, alongside overcoats with three-quarter sleeves, portraying a somewhat lived-in look to the clothes. Tiny details in the designs, Miuccia Prada noted, invited a deeper delve into the clothes’ reality versus their ostensible appearance.
The otherwise neutral color palette was highlighted by brighter feminine shades: green cardigans, floral blouses, and turquoise coats, suggesting nostalgia for a mother or grandmother’s wardrobe. Raf Simons echoed backstage the desire for the collection to rivet with life, as though the clothes had been part of the wearer’s life already.
In an unassuming, white hut exhibit, Prada’s models descended a flanked runway, suggestive of both essentialism and utopia – and youthful optimism for the future. The message was clear, as Prada concluded, “Here youth is the hope, it’s the future.”
Adding to the chorus, Simon Cracker’s Spring-Summer 2025 collection unraveled an array of intricate outfits held together by laces and drawstrings, each piece boasting its uniqueness. Designers Filippo Biraghi and Simone Botte utilized upcycled fabrics to deconstruct and reassemble apparel with splendid creativity.
The brand, whose moniker symbolizes a flaw in the fashion system, lavished in the beauty of imperfections and discarded items. This mélange of apparel, footwear, and costume jewelry, the designers implied, was a veiled narrative of the world’s turmoil without being blatantly political.
Finally, JW Anderson’s collection provided counterintuitive comfort against the hard-hitting realities of a warming planet. His soft and spongy outerwear pieces encapsulated a mantra of escapism, symbolized by the motto “Real Sleep.” The fascinating collection deftly toyed with the scales, juggling between miniature and maximum dimensions.
To wrap things up, Anderson admitted that the aim was to explore “the idea of permissiveness with the clothing. This idea of what we do best is the storytelling.”
