5 things you need to know about Raf Simons' hotly anticipated debut collection for Prada

As one of the fashion industry’s most revered talents makes his debut at Prada, Olivia Petter takes a closer look at the most anticipated collection of the season

(AFP via Getty Images)

It was a moment the fashion industry had been looking forward to for so long, not even a pandemic could dampen the mood.

In April, it was announced that Raf Simons would be joining Miuccia Prada as co-creative director at her eponymous Italian label; the news reverberated the fashion set’s glossy orbit.

After his unforgettable stints at Dior and Calvin Klein, Simons is arguably one of the industry’s most exciting and esoteric talents.

Renowned for packing a political and intellectual punch on the runway, the Belgian designer was bound to have something profound to offer up in these bleak times. 

And on Thursday, when his first collection was revealed through a live-streamed show as part of Milan Fashion Week, he did not disappoint.

Here’s everything you need to know about Raf Simons’ debut collection for Prada.

The Prada logo has had a renaissance

The brand’s famous inverted triangle logo is a staple of many of its pieces, something that Simons nodded to by printing it in a larger-than-normal size on the front of black and white tunics.

The logo also made several appearances on the jewellery in the collection - we saw Prada logos splashed across ear cuffs and earrings.

Of course, we also saw it on accessories, specifically handbags, one of Prada’s most sought-after items.

But instead of producing more of the brand’s signature backpacks, Simons transposed the logo onto fuller knapsacks and oversized handle bags.

Graphics took centre stage

Designer Peter de Potter created the graphics that Simons used in this collection, which are splattered over smock dresses, hooded sweatshirts and blouses.

Despite the fact that a lot of the pieces with graphics were monochrome, the innovative floral and geometric prints added that artistic vim Simons is known and loved for.

The models were all first-timers

In an unlikely Fashion Week move (particularly for a show of this calibre), all of the models were first-timers on the catwalk.

A racially diverse mix of slender men and women, the models were given minimal makeup bar the odd slick of mascara, rose-tinted cheeks and glossy but simple hair.

Dainty heels are making a comeback

The Italian fashion brand is renowned for its flamboyant footwear - feathers and flatforms are no strangers at Prada - and this season was no different.

But instead of the usual chunky boot or plimsol, Simons injected a dose of tacit elegance into Prada’s footwear via low-heel slingbacks that came with pointed toes.

Comfort is key, so it seems, though these shoes were far from dull, coming in vibrant shades of tangerine and turquoise, and elsewhere, lilac and sky blue.

The mood was brighter than expected

While everyone expected Simons to serve up one of his signature dystopian fantasies, he seems to have done the opposite.

In fact, the entire collection was revealed against a sunshine yellow backdrop, bringing a much-needed sense of joy and buoyancy to both the clothes and the mood they created.

There were other surprises too. For example, on dresses and shirts, places where one might have expected political slogans, there were polka dots.

And then there was the colour palette: lilacs, pastel blues, and of course, classic candy floss Prada pink. This was a collection designed to uplift and inspire, and goodness knows we could all use a bit more of that right now.