Wonky couture emerged as a theme this season as fashion begins to edge away from the hoodie-and-trainers years. That puts Miuccia Prada’s Miu Miu in a sweet spot. Long ago, back when Gen Zers were but twinkles in their parents’ eyes, she’d started ripping up ’50s and ’60s clothes and making collections of stuff which looked like synthetic linings and leftover haberdashery. All that was back today, in the form of crushed cocktail frocks, squashy bows, randomly placed rosettes, slip skirts, and a large dose of sparkle.
Oddly enough though, this time it felt as if there was more in the way of solid Miu Miu clothes-as-clothes than in the Spring Prada show. Barring the micro-shorts and the oops-I-forgot-my-skirt looks familiar to this label, there were plenty of wearable midi lengths in dirty denim skirts and dresses, and—surprise, surprise—below-the-knee faux python pencil skirts. Two neat, clean, double-breasted leather coats turned up. And then—very unexpectedly—a run of straight-up well cut, non-ironical gray blazers and skirt suits in matching leather.
There was nothing at all wonky about those. Despite all the things that were tricked up with sequins and diamanté, it was this turn toward well cut tailoring which ultimately stuck in the mind. It almost looked minimalist. Grown-up. Oddly incongruous on the very young models. Has Miuccia Prada got her eye on winning back the class of women who used to dress in her simple, no-logo, non-showy clothes in the ’90s? After all, they need a home.