The inspiration for the Prada collection for next winter comes from a bow, an emblem of a certain somewhat mistreated romanticism, on the catwalk in Milan to say that, instead, there is a real need for romance today.
And that we need to find it in the past, without nostalgia, to remember who we are and where we come from.
And yes, to oppose today's difficult times with an ideal that is not only aesthetic, but which refers to values of love and attention.
"At this moment - underlines Miuccia Prada backstage at the show - I am interested in the introduction of the good and the kind, the just, because there is so much aggression and wickedness, while we feel interest in other qualities of humanity".
"The clothes in this collection - adds the designer - reveal a sense of romanticism that touches on the values of love and attention. Love between people, romantic but also familiar".
A love made of human beings and therefore nourished by fragments of their stories, which are grafted onto the clothes on stage today, in a set with an enchanted forest encapsulated under the floor of the room.
"For me, history is always connected to people's lives: references to the fashion of the past - is Miuccia Prada's lesson - tell of lives lived, but also ways of living today. Reflecting on history teaches us to understand our mistakes and our strengths. The past is the only thing we have. I hate the idea of nostalgia, as if history teaches nothing. History teaches everything, especially in difficult times. This is a collection shaped by history. It's not about of nostalgia, but of understanding who we were and why we dressed like that. It's about remembering our past and using this knowledge to move forward."
An emotional memory that takes some of the classic styles of women's clothing, from the ruche to the bow, from the slip to the flounce, to graft them onto new shapes.
So trousers that are a memory of the Victorian age are worn with juxtaposed sheath dresses characterized by relief motifs, the 50s bell-shaped skirts seem to be made with men's trousers, the tailored jackets on the back are like waistcoats, the ribbed knitwear is closed on the neck with maxi golden bow-shaped brooches.
Bows that return to decorate the tight dresses, slimmed down by tall feather or velvet hats, but also the back of the skirts combined with twinsets or shaped biker jackets.
To seal it all, the handbags tied to the wrist or clutched to the arm, in a naturally gentle and feminine gesture which is the signature of the collection designed by Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada.
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