Milan served as the stage for the unveiling of the latest menswear collection by Miuccia Prada and her co-creative director Raf Simons during the Milan Fashion Week on Sunday. They characterized this collaboration as having a raw and cinematic essence.
The runway for the Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection showcased a series of avant-garde designs, notably featuring faux fur collars. However, Prada took a distinctive approach by incorporating primitive shearling details that appeared almost as if they had been stripped directly from an animal, creating a rugged aesthetic on outerwear lapels and garments.
“Perhaps it gives off a savage, primitive vibe akin to cavemen. Our intention was to evoke warmth, humanity, and instinctiveness, coupled with a kind of beautifully domestic charm,” stated Simons in a discussion behind the scenes.
The inspirations for this collection drew from a broad spectrum of cinematic influences that weren’t tied to any specific film or character, according to Simons. The designs embraced elements reminiscent of Western culture, including well-worn cowboy boots and knitwear resembling a wrangler’s attire, all while steering clear of literal character portrayals.
The collection exuded a sense of femininity as well, encouraging men to accessorize with jewelry pieces like bracelets featuring mini basketballs or baseballs. Necklaces adorned with amulets complemented fine knitted outfits, and floral patterns decorated faux fur-lined hoods.
Silhouettes in the collection juxtaposed skinny satin trousers with more voluminous garments, such as pajama tops or subtly distressed sweaters. The designers embraced an instinctive dressing philosophy, allowing suits to be worn without shirts.
A standout look encapsulated the boyish spirit of the collection: straight-leg jeans paired with a striped knit top, accentuated with floral cowboy boots.
Prada and Simons shared that their collection aimed to instill hope amid challenging times, presenting humanity as a form of resilience against daily adversities. “It serves as a response to the current state of affairs. We must resist with our instinct, humanity, passion, and a touch of romance,” Prada conveyed during the backstage interview. She emphasized that meaningful work also represents a form of resistance.
“The undertone carried within this collection should inherently be optimistic, by its very nature,” Prada added.
The venue for the show was the evolving showroom at the Prada Foundation’s Deposito, which was adorned with Art Nouveau carpets. The runway stood on elevated metal scaffolding, symbolizing contrasts and the notion of being a work-in-progress, as noted by Simons.
Trends identified in the collection included the unusual practice of wearing suits without shirts, layering multiple puffer jackets, and embracing raw shearling collars to unleash a sense of primal instinct. Additionally, men’s fashion saw the integration of subtle jewelry, floral designs, and cowboy boots.
The front row attracted an eclectic mix of global stars and personalities, featuring British actor and musician William Gao alongside musician Olivia Hardy, actor Keith Powers from the U.S., South Korean actress Kim Tae-ri, Chinese table tennis champion Ma Long, and British actor Louis Patridge. A throng of enthusiastic fans eagerly awaited beyond barriers to applaud their presence.
