Miuccia Prada always has something to say about the state of the world through fashion. And at her autumn/winter 2017 show her perspective was particularly nostalgic suggesting something about the anxieties induced by the current political climate. The myriad inspirations for her Fall 2017 collection were many. Yet, a clear domestic 70s feel was evident in the rich tones of tobacco brown, camel, beige, burnt orange, burgundy, teal, and mustard that dominated Prada’s use of fabrics like corduroy and other tactile fabrications. “I didn’t want to do the 1970s.” “But it just came out, naturally. It was an important moment for protest, for humanity. Which is now very necessary,” said Miuccia Prada.
Her opening look referenced a now recognizable normcore assembly of a patchwork V-neck sweater, button-down shirt, wide-gauge corduroy pants, and suede-paneled round-toed shoes. This was followed by various combinations of neutral colored corduroy suits and trench coats, with models carrying either work portfolios or leather briefcases. While the women wore mohair twinsets with bobby socks and jeweled kitten heels. In many of the looks, the break of the trousers was left deliberately long to add to the 70s effect. The vintage looks were juxtaposed with metal stud detailing seen lining the shearling coats, berets, shoes and functional bags in the collection.
The last look was a camel, boot-cut corduroy suit, worn with a tie, which featured leather panels on its pockets. Prada said her aim was “to be more human, more simple, more real.” In an increasingly frenetic and overwhelming world, it’s clearly a moment for the normcore individual. Whether decked out in hip-hugger cords and sweaters or coats done in burnt orange corduroy or tobacco leather, Prada remains one of the most influential brand in the world.