Miuccia Prada’s Singular Style

Photo Vogue

I often wish that Miuccia Prada would do an entire collection based on her own personal wardrobe. Don’t get me wrong, I love most Prada collections to the point of coveting many pieces though not pulling the trigger; I would rather buy real estate. I also take issue lately with the ubiquitous Prada logos ostentatiously placed on pretty much everything. I’m hoping that has run its course.

One could say, “but she has endless sartorial resources at her disposal”. That’s absolutely true. One could also say the same of Donatella Versace…..nuf said.

My first awareness of Ms. Prada’s existence was in 1979.  My mother returned from a business trip to Milan and presented me with the most exquisite little jewel of a burgundy nylon bag, shaped like an acorn with silk cord handles and a tassel at the bottom. She said she met this woman, a friend of a business associate’s wife who was taking over her family’s leather business called Prada. I was hooked. The bag was later tragically stolen off the bar of a disco. I still have dreams of recovering it.

But why my obsession with Ms. Prada’s style? Because it’s all that I love most about personal style. Her style is unique to her, consistent, timeless and chic as hell. She’s neither tall, thin or conventionally beautiful. She’s something more; original. I’d wager that even if you didn’t know who she was and found yourself at the same party, you’d notice her style and presence. 

Despite Ms. Prada’s 74 years, her style is both youthful and patrician at once, no easy feat. She achieves this by sticking with the silhouettes she’s favored for decades. Within that framework she utilizes color, texture and a richness of materials (as one might imagine with the name Prada). What I find so compelling is the way she fearlessly mixes them while grounding it with the familiar crew neck sweater, always bringing it back to a place of unstudied ease. Then there are the magnificent antique jewels; statement necklaces and chandelier earrings that feed the patrician side giving her a bohemian air; a striking contradiction. The exclamation point of her looks are amazing shoes. They’re often edgy, sometimes unexpected but always next level.  

As I always say to my clients, the shoes make or break the outfit. As I mature I’ve discovered that an unexpected shoe can make a classic outfit look more interesting and younger in one fell swoop. Ms. Prada employs this approach often.

Imagine if she swapped the shoes in the above outfits, it would completely change the feeling. I love how the classic pump with the distressed leather suit brings it out of the realm of young and trendy to refined, just the shoe! The same for the sober gray woolens. They get a cool lift with a heavy loafer. And what is that armband? I love it!!!

 Her style relies on her tried and true silhouettes: a mid calf skirt, a slim pant, a boxy jacket all in noble fabrics of silk, cashmere and wool. This is important. Fine fabrics take color, look, feel and wear better. This is something I’m always stressing to my clients. Sadly many designers have started to skimp on fabrics, using cheaper synthetic blends as the price of their clothes increase. So read the labels, it matters.

Mid calf skirt + easy crew neck sweater + great shoes are often favored by Ms. P.

Let’s break down her go to silhouettes and see what makes it work. I’m not suggesting that you mimic her style, rather observe how she has honed it down to the silhouettes that work for her. Then turn it on yourself. What proportions work best for you?  Analyze the outfits you feel best in. It doesn’t mean that’s all you’ll wear. Pare it down to three basic silhouettes you know work best for your style and body. This will help enormously when you’re shopping, if you know cropped jackets never seem to work for you avoid them despite the fact that there are a slew of them out there. You get the idea.

When she wears pants they’re slim and often paired with a matching loose fitting top and knockout heels.

Another great example of her silhouette for pants, at the Met Gala in 2017. Instead of going overboard as most do for the event Ms. Prada looks elegant and at ease. Note the interesting shoe choice and there’s that arm band again!

I’m fascinated by the dichotomy of the look on the left, the ecclesiastical feel of the buttoned up white shirt under the black coat, (her coats deserve their own story) the elbow length killer gloves in a subdued gray but in croc! And the genius of paring it all with barely there strappy heels to lighten from below. I leave you with this last photo, a masterclass in timeless elegance, the color of the silk satin, paired with brown chinchilla, a statement earring and minimal makeup. That's chic!

If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this it is to go deep and think about what works for you and makes you feel good. Experiment in front of the mirror, try weird combos, play with the accessories, and take pictures to refer back to. Chasing trends is a waste of time. Developing your own style will serve you through the decades and improve with age. 

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