In June, Prada presented its most recent menswear collection. Deep inside its titular Fondazione, the Italian house proposed an escape from the current world. The approach was surprising: the industry’s most intellectual brand suggested intellectual avoidance. Confronted with an overwhelming world, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons advised a summer vacation. Now, with the rentrée in full effect, the strategy is different. Retreating was only the first step. For women’s Spring/Summer 2026, we got the next chapter of Prada’s guide on how to deal with chaos. Step two: filtering information.
Considering the medium of clothes, the response was quite literal at first. The show opened with a monochromatic set, where a navy shirt and trousers blended into a strict uniform. But this season wasn’t an exercise in minimalism. The point wasn’t removal, but filtration. Soon, similar sets were accompanied by opera-length gloves in shiny satin and pliable leather.
Distillation doesn’t mean austerity. Patchwork skirts hit just below the knee, revealing more of their multiplicity as models walked by. It was a great season for Prada skirt lovers (ourselves included). Paper-bag-waist iterations came in bright blues and whites, while wrinkled nylon ones were rendered neutral. Colourful dresses were hiked at the hem, revealing contrasting crumpled crinolines. At the top of these funky creations, crystallised collars were reminiscent of Prada’s early explorations. Just like in the men’s show before it, here, bubble-hemmed micro shorts made an impactful appearance.
The standout of the show was undoubtedly the intentionally ill-fitting skirts attached by suspenders. These seemed like a continuation of Prada’s Fall/Winter 2025, where imperfection was proposed as a response to culture’s tight standards. These skirts conveyed a similar sentiment in shades of sheer black, pale yellow and navy. Or perhaps, they could inspire a different interpretation altogether. Maybe these off-kilter creations weren’t made as a response, but as a reconsideration. Why should a skirt hang off the waist and not the shoulders? Why should a bra offer support and not freedom? In a time of chaos, Prada invites us to think critically and make our own decisions.
Words by Pedro Vasconcelos
