Bold, playful with a touch of whimsy, Prada’s new holiday collection, entitled The December Issue, is a glorious fusion of all that the Italian Maison does so well. Refined designs, with a signature stamp of edge and allure. While undeniably grown-up fashion, Prada never takes itself too seriously, with injections of good-humoured fun coursing through each collection.
The December Issue is no different, an elegant, whimsical conversation in celebration and conviviality, underscoring the importance of connections inherent in the holiday season. In Prada’s signature playful style, the notion of dressing up for festivities invites an exploration of the multifaceted idea of elegance. The language of fashion approached in unconventional manners, in turn conveying different meanings and permitting different behaviours, questioning and answering what elegance can mean today. How that translates to the wearer is multitudinous, as they’re called to deconstruct the different angles of elegance through each piece, and rebuild it as a reflection of their own personality and uniqueness. After all, if fashion isn’t a celebration of the individual, what is it?
And so, to the pieces… This year’s collection is an ode to decoration as part of the celebration, extolling the act of adorning oneself with unfettered joy. The Prada ‘Trick’ – a ‘robot toy’ first created 20 years ago for the Autumn/Witner 2004 Menswear collection – reappears as a new, animated way to accessorise. This time, in different light-hearted iterations, found on accessories and outfits as both unorthodox jewellery and as assertions of individuality.
Inherited codes between the clothes then take the wearer between eras – echoing different times and different periods within an individual’s life. Unlikely contrasts spring forward in holiday season-inspired pieces – an elegant tailored tuxedo, an evening dress and a wool cashmere coat, but also entail a tuxedo-shirt in cotton poplin with embellished lapels worn as a dress or tailored as a short jumpsuit, a faded black shearling-lined parka held with the gesture of an opera-coat.
Teasing the top of wish-lists, The December Issue’s bag collection underscores Prada’s identity, introducing a new iteration of the Galleria in black, snow white and rich ruby red, along with classics such as the Arqué – in leopard print, shearling-fringed, black leather and brown suede – the Buckle and the Duet. A new design in soft nappa leather draws its pleated body and lock, chain and brass ring decoration from archival Prada accessories, further cementing the celebration of then and now. For a classic gift that will always be well received, there’s also the iconic Prada backpack in black canvas.
As Prada unwraps new layers of communing, conversing and celebrating, it’s an unabashed excuse to dress up, have fun and explore the easy-going side of fashion for the festivities that lie ahead.
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