Prada’s Milan Debut: 63 Skirt Variations and a Diesel Finale

Key points

• Prada presented 63 distinct skirt designs, ranging from pleated to wrapped, paired with bra tops, sweaters, and shirts.
• The collection utilized industrial materials, including wide Velcro strips and oversized snaps, often embellished with crystals or beads.
• Simons described the skirt as a versatile equivalent to a men’s T-shirt, emphasizing its adaptability for various social contexts.
• Glenn Martens’s final Diesel show featured leather-like denim and a chaotic finale involving audience moaning and physical interaction.
• The Prada show was held at Fondazione Prada, with attendees including Uma Thurman, Maya Hawke, and Michelle Williams.

Background

This collection follows Prada’s previous Spring 2026 show, which was criticized for being overly conceptual with 'useless' bra tops and strange bottoms. The current season represents a strategic pivot toward clarity and realism, responding to the abundance of overly dressy trends seen elsewhere. This aligns with broader industry shifts toward functional, 'real' clothing, as noted in recent London and New York fashion weeks.

How outlets are covering it

The Cut’s Cathy Horyn praised the show as 'near-perfect' and 'lucid,' highlighting its didactic nature and technical innovation, though noting it lacked the 'slow, unnerving' sexual charge of previous collections. WWD’s Miles Socha framed the show as a 'return to form,' emphasizing the brand’s intellectual and feminine strengths, and noted Prada’s comparison of skirts to painting frames. Who What Wear focused on the cultural impact, declaring 'pants are dead' and highlighting the resurgence of the 'banana heel' shoe. The Impression provided no substantive review content, only login prompts. While all outlets agreed on the show’s quality, The Cut emphasized the lack of eroticism, whereas WWD and Who What Wear focused on the collection’s versatility and commercial appeal.

Why it matters

The collection signals a potential industry shift away from conceptual excess toward wearable, functional design. By focusing on a single garment, Prada demonstrated how technical innovation can refresh classic silhouettes, influencing upcoming Spring 2027 trends. The Diesel finale also marked a significant transition in the brand’s creative direction, potentially impacting its future market positioning.

What to watch

Fashion industry observers will monitor how other designers respond to Prada’s minimalist, skirt-focused approach in subsequent Milan and Paris shows. The market will also watch for the commercial performance of the revived banana heel and the technical Velcro closures. Diesel’s next creative director will be a key focus as the brand transitions from Martens’s provocative era.