The Fame Issue
Those who offer a bouquet of flowers take care. Those who wear a wedding dress make a commitment. Those who protect, love. And who chooses a heavenly skirt from Prada's Fall/Winter 2023 collection? Those say "till death do us part".
What purpose does a garment serve? The answer to this question has changed countless times over the centuries. Their purpose began as utilitarian, when animal skins protected us from the cold and the surrounding environment. With the proliferation of other natural fibers, different garments became a status symbol - the scarcer the materials or colors, the more embroidery they had, the greater the privilege of the wearer. Nowadays, although some of these designs are preserved, we talk about fashion as an instrument of expression, at a time when aesthetics take precedence over functionality. Even so, not all items of clothing have been stripped of their primary meaning. Think of uniforms, a symbol of authority, respect, and responsibility. Or wedding dresses, whose hue, silhouette, and composition refer to a special moment, a feeling of immense affection, an unforgettable milestone in life. Who would dare wear their wedding dress to the supermarket? Only those who wear Prada's Fall/Winter collection, where the beauty of the exceptional meets the monotony of everyday life, in the form of skirts inspired by symbols of love.
They are painted in the purest and brightest shade of the color palette. They float with graceful movements. And elegant flowers sprout from their silhouette, almost as delicate as the hands that shaped them. These are the skirts that translate the imagery of Taking Care, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons' presentation for the cold season. With the aim of subverting the language conveyed by occasion wear, the designers appropriated its symbols and introduced them into everyday life. This explains the surprising combination of ethereal pieces with dense sweaters, with a wintry, minimalist appearance. However, this strangeness - which quickly becomes ingrained - only reinforces the attention paid to the movement of the skirts, as well as the intricate details that adorn them. These are prodigious embroideries that honor the level of craftsmanship once reserved for Haute Couture. The skirts that receive the ‘pendant’ embroidery recreate the beauty of a white flower garden, with lilies, petunias and tulips scattered across the vastness of the fabric. Each flower is meticulously forged by hand using a loom with a defined pattern, and the stems retain their grandeur thanks to the tubular, padded fabric that forms them. When jasmine is the featured flower, we are looking at a ‘standing’ embroidery. Prada has recreated this Haute Couture technique in a natural fiber (cotton organza) to give life to a skirt that most resembles a bride's veil. It's a lengthy and complex process, particularly the manufacture of the corolla, and even the stems require immense precision, as they are shaped by the heat of the seamstress's hands. To ensure stability without hindering movement, the jasmines are fixed at the base of their stems with a few cross stitches. The most rebellious embroidery is the ‘pom pom’, designed in gazar and silk organza. In this technique, the fabrics are cut into strips and rolled onto themselves using an iron. The result is a voluminous pattern, made up of pieces of various lengths and thicknesses, which, although special, is designed to be enjoyed in everyday life.
So, what purpose does a garment serve in the present time? In the words of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, its intent is not dictated merely by aesthetics, but rather by its actions. Even today, clothing has the function of protecting those who wear it, and therefore acts as a symbol of mutual love. We protect what we love. But what we love also protects us. Perhaps it's not so unreasonable to bring some of the interpretations of this affection into the heart of everyday life. Do human beings need anything more than love? Only if you want to express that emotion by wearing an ethereal Prada skirt.
*Originally translated from The Fame Issue, published October 2023. Full credits and stories in the print issue.
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