The scene at Miu Miu today suggested a chic movie premiere from a bygone era. After the monthlong marathon of shows, the plush Art Deco carpet and red velvet theater seats were certainly a boon to those who those attended this afternoon. Toying With Elegance was the title of the new collection, an allusion to the childlike joy that comes with getting dressed to the nines. After a week that has been marred by dystopian narratives—both on and off the runway—that optimistic messaging was a breath of fresh air.
The show opened with a charming cameo: Storm Reid, the 16-year-old actor of Euphoria fame, took to the runway in a persimmon crushed-satin dress and tweed overcoat, her braids curled into a sophisticated ’40s updo. Prada has evoked all kinds of iconic screen sirens with her clothes in the past—Hitchcockian blondes, heroines of neorealismo cinema, and more—so it was nice to see that idea of glamour reconfigured for generation Z.
British singer Rita Ora also made a surprise appearance, though she was almost unrecognizable in her floor-sweeping military-style coat. Those extra-long proportions lent a sense of irreverence to the sweet empire-line dresses in saccharine shades that were replete with bows and crystal embellishments. The leg-baring little black dresses were just as fun with their frothy taffeta sleeves and colorful nipped waistbands. In a season of sober daywear, the new collection offered up plenty of cool new reasons to join the party again.
You could see many of the stylish young starlets making mental notes of those evening looks from the front row, including Lucy Hale and Anya Taylor Wood, star of the much buzzed-about Emma. Miu Miu's track record for dressing Hollywood ingénues for the red carpet, a world in which youthful fashion ideas are few and far between, is unparalleled. Pulled from the brand’s archives, the outfit Reid wore to the after-party was living proof: a chic draped terra-cotta orange top and black pencil skirt that looked just as fresh that night as it did when it was first shown in 2011.