A LITTLE BIT OF PRADA AND STEVEN MEISEL FOR A MONDAY

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

I'm always happy when a new Prada advertising campaign pops into my inbox. There are multiple reasons for this: obviously its good to see a skew on the Prada fashion mindset for the forthcoming season, and Meisel never disappoints me with the clarity of his vision for the brand. Neither does the press release, for which I reserve special reading pleasure. The precision! The detail! The detachment! Its as if the press release were written by an art curator at the Uffizi. Maybe it was.


"Models are arranged in careful poses in the futuristic enclosure, the precise angle of an arm and an elegant neck echoing the geometry of the scene. Shifting camera angles and an endless depth of field create a playful illusion of perspective and proportion, recalling the setting for a videogame.
Occupying the space on multiple levels characters in the foreground appear magnified, while others recede into the distance like virtual princesses poised for combat. The models’ unified gaze creates a seductive focus as our eye navigates the frame and its unexpected dimensions. Blocks of coordinated colour created by clothing, dip-dyed hair and furniture produce a chromatic architecture for our fashion avatars." 

So, now I know that geometric print tailored trouser suits with cropped flared pants and juicily red high-heeled golfing loafers are the future of street style images for the next six months.
Personally, I love the navy chunkily beaded sleeveless coat in the second image and the way Miuccia styles them over too-short trousers and clown shoes with rubber mini-shoe-galoshes.

Steven Meisel's latest Prada Campaign for AW12

PRESS PLAY FOR PRADA

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large (Bethan Holt)

So here I am, posting for the first time as Fashion Junior, and who better than Prada to ease us into back into the fashion mojo after a long Summer break. The brand is still riding high on the massive fashionista love-in sparked by the genius concoction of stripes, baroque motifs and bananas in the SS11 collection. The video released yesterday to showcase their AW11/12 campaign does little to abate our crush on Miuccia's quirky aesthetic. This is just a quick post as I'm still getting to grips with the whole having my own desk/ first day at work thing. So on this balmy afternoon in London I leave you with Steven Meisel's depiction of Miuccia's exotic skins and phosphorescent frocks as modelled by the ethereal Kelly Mittendorf, Frida Gustavsson, Ondria Hardin and Antonia Wesseloh. I don't know about you but the haunting soundtrack (which despite extensive research and calls to the Prada Press Office, is still unidentified, making it all the more eerie) gives me goosebumps.

Film courtesy of Prada

STEVEN MEISEL 4 PRADA

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Ondria Hardin from North Carolina, Kelly Mittendorf from Arizona, 17 and 18 year old Swede Frida Gustavsson make kooky look beautiful for Prada AW11, thanks to Steven and Mrs P.

It is not often I can lay claim to actually enjoying reading a press release, but  Prada have a convincing way with even the most purple prose.

"This campaign exemplifies an anything goes attitude to fashion maximalism, but is delivered with a unique sense of grace and casualness, where cherry-red heels, coral kid gloves, and the orange glint of a mermaid scale dress blend with natural ease and precision."

On the green sofa we have Antonia Wesseloh, a 16 year old from Hamburg with a touch of the Freja Beha about her, and Kelly Mittendorf. This was Mittendorf's first ever modelling job.

"The delicate sensuality expressed by the fresh-faced models is at odds with the sophisticated fashion on display: trompe l’oeil boots in grownup velvet masquerade as girlish knee-highs, oversized coquettish lapels are paneled in fur and python bags are cradled like cute teddy bears. It’s a dressing room of contemporary desire disguised as a playroom of childhood dreams."

Photos: courtesy of Prada