Co-helmed by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, Italian powerhouse Prada has experienced a notable renaissance in recent years. Throughout 2023, the fashion brand retained the top spots of Lyst’s Fashion’s Hottest Brands ranking and successfully leveraged top celebrities to drive media impact. In between, Prada delivered chic collections that pleased both “purists” (fashion connoisseurs and niche audiences) and “tourists” (enthusiasts and curiosity-driven buyers).

Now, the brand welcomes 2024 with a Fall-Winter menswear collection that — intentionally or not — explores everything the fashion world has anticipated to be popular in 2024, from corporatecore and nerdy-chic to grandpacore. As part of their continuous creative dialogue, Prada and Simons once again champion idiosyncratic design for the modern-day man, mixing everyday essentials with the in-the-know edge they’re praised for.  

Corporate Nature

Just like every season, Prada and Simons built a lineup of looks on the premise of juxtaposition. What would the corporate man look like if he were thrown into nature? The answer started in the form of a retro-infused look featuring a light yellow button-up shirt with contrasting white collar and cuffs. The infamous ’90s staple was paired with tailored trousers, a swim cap style beanie and the must-have accessory of 2024: the necktie. Then the runway subtly transitioned to boxy suits, trenchcoats paired with skinny pants, knit cardigans and the essential bomber jacket.

Simultaneously, the looks introduced accessories associated with leisure activities, from swim-goggles-reminiscent glasses to sailor hats. There were also countryside-appropriate jackets, balaclavas and even sandals. However,  the looks retained a corporate quality throughout the show. After all, (and though Prada’s collection was meant to be an invitation to reconnect with nature) there was an underlying commentary on humans’ inability to disconnect from work. That’s probably why Prada’s signature boxy suit returned for the closing section of the show. This time, however, it came accompanied by a pair of sandals. 

Photos courtesy of Prada

Trendy attendants 

Prada’s ability to adapt to trendy topics without losing its idiosyncratic spirit is also evident in the front rows. Reuniting a motley group of A-listers, the brand kept audiences’ eyes peeled on the show. The likes of Troye Sivan, Jake Gyllenhaal and Brooklyn Peltz-Beckham sat front alongside personalities such as ballet prodigy Guillaume Diop, footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold and visual artist Francesco Vezzoli.

The fan hordes outside Fondazione Prada came courtesy of notable figures from the Asia Pacific region including Prada brand ambassadors Win Metawin and Li Xian, as well as Bai Yufan, Karina and Lee Jaewook. As one of the top voices at Fashion Week every season, Win Metawin’s arrival was particularly anticipated and the Thai actor did not disappoint. Departing from season-inappropriate fits spotted on the front rows this week, Win offered a lesson on winter dressing with a total black look topped off with a distressed leather coat. 

Continuous Dialogue

Season after season, Prada delivers collections that balance Miuccia Prada’s polished simplicity and quirkiness with Raf Simons’ penchant for innovation and oddity. Driven by dichotomy and barely giving away information about their creative process and inspiration, the co-creative directors present runways that cater both to the purists and tourists of fashion. Their latest joint effort was, of course, no exception. 

Interested in more Milan Fashion Week content? Check out the most stylish front-row celebrity appearances here. 

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