Although perhaps quieter than usual, Prada made sure that Milan’s Menswear Fashion Week ended with a bang – and some unexpected cameos from a few of Hollywood’s biggest names. No less than ten actors walked the catwalk for Prada’s second-ever IRL display since Raf Simons joined Miuccia Prada as co-creative director, causing the internet to go into a mild frenzy.
Kyle MacLachlan, best known for his performance in Twin Peaks – and, unfortunately, his role in Sex And The City too – was the first model to emerge onto the catwalk. Is this an indication of a potential comeback in Just Like That or are we getting too ahead of ourselves? Either way, MacLachlan made a statement in his catwalk debut. He walked the runway in a squared-shouldered and double-breasted coat, a geometric patterned polo neck, wide-legged trousers and clumpy leather boots.
MacLachlan was joined by Thomas Brodie-Sangster (of Love Actually and The Queen’s Gambit fame) and Asa Butterfield (the star of Sex Education), as well as Damson Idris, Tom Mercier, Jaden Michael, Louis Partridge, Ashton Sanders and Filippo Scotti.
Last but not least, the show was closed by the legendary Jeff Goldblum. As he strolled down the catwalk in a fashion-forward, shearling-trimmed all-black outfit, his imposing form and slicked silver hair were perfectly in tune with the collection’s futuristic undercurrent. Though there were rumours that Goldblum might appear on the runway after Prada posted a short video of him on Instagram a few hours before, audiences were shocked as the iconic actor waltzed out of the intergalactic tunnel that served as the backdrop to show.
The AW22 collection by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons was inspired by the future of workwear, celebrating work uniforms and the men who wear them, from those heading out to work in more relatable professions to the Hollywood actors who play them, and it transformed putting on one’s uniform into an event. ‘The collection celebrates the idea of working – in all different spheres and meanings,’ said Prada, emphasising the idea of the importance of formal work and the wardrobe she imagines represents it. ‘Through these clothes, we emphasise that everything a human being does is important. Every aspect of reality can be elegant and dignified … elevated, and celebrated.’
The Hollywood stars served as ‘real men, recognised figures, [who] bring a new facet of reality,’ as Miuccia Prada put it. It is for this reason that actors were chosen as models, because they are ‘interpreters of reality, employed to echo truth through their portrayals.’
While WFH has meant loungewear and workwear have become synonymous, Prada’s latest collection looks to a post-pandemic future and the reimagining of the conventional work uniform. Is this what we need to entice us out of our comfy two-pieces and back to the workplace in style?
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