Miu Miu

PARIS, March 4, 2007
By Nicole Phelps
This was an intentionally conceptual show, but it started simply enough: The first look out was a camel suit with a slightly nipped waist and rounded hips over a pleated knee-length skirt—its girth perhaps a little exaggerated—worn with knee socks and spectator pumps.

From there, however, the molded shapes turned more pronounced, almost old-ladyish, in fact…. And then came the provocatively sheer, flesh-tone metallic twinsets and skirts…followed by rubbery leather coats in lipstick pinks and reds.

Miuccia Prada returned her attention to the natural/synthetic dichotomy that informed her Prada show (and many other designers' this season), with the accent falling heavily this time on the man-made. In reality, those A-line coats were 100 percent real leather, but lined with neoprene to look spongy and fake.

What was her point? "It's a vision of what's happening in the world right now with women," she said after the show. "On videos and TV all of the women look fake. I wanted to show this plasticized vision, but filtered through classic pieces and sticking to tradition."

This translated to jackets and pants cut from a Lurex-shot quilted fabric that looked like nothing so much as your old granny's polyester housecoat (and appeared just as flammable). Cardigans and V-necks were tucked into the top of nude pantyhose, the waistbands of which were exposed above low-slung skirts. Strapless dresses came with deflated, folded-over bra cups, as if to suggest they would only fit correctly if filled with pneumatic silicone breasts.

Despite all the (matron-meets-) porn-star allusions, this wasn't a sexy collection. And it won't necessarily be easy to wear, either. But in her characteristically thoughtful style, Prada has given everyone plenty to ponder on their long plane ride home.

Style.com

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