“Fluid Form”: Prada’s SS’24 Menswear Show

Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons propose an absolute freedom of the body, expressed through the foundations of the garments that dress it.

Discover the fluid architecture that surrounds the human body in the new Prada menswear collection. Dubbed Fluid Form, Prada’s creative co-directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons succeeded in bringing the notion of fluidity to their Spring/Summer 2024 collection. The runway show, held at the Fondazione Prada Deposito, proposed the absolute freedom of the body, expressed through the foundational garments that adorn it; a collection that spoke of clothing as architecture; a shield to protect the incomprehensible disorder of organs, flesh and heart beneath and the key to the liberation of the body.

“We often speak of reduction; here, instead, starting from something simple, we expand.” This is Miuccia Prada’s starting point for the men’s fashion collection. But as expected, the legendary designer has Raf Simons by her side. “We started everything from the idea of the shirt, its structure, its lightness,” she added.

Aptly titled “Fluid Shapes,” the collection opened with several reiterations of the inaugural look. To the beat of ” Closer ” by Nine Inch Nails, models walked the runway in shirts and jackets tucked into five-inch shorts, topped with mid-calf socks and square-toed sneakers. Creative co-directors Prada and Simons stated backstage that the classic T-shirt was the starting point for their latest effort. As such, the collection focused on transferring qualities such as lightness and comfort, often associated with shirts, to other menswear.

The designers took an intellectual approach to fashion, drawing inspiration from notable artists such as Matthew Barney, Joseph Beuys, and HR Giger to help shape their aesthetic narrative. The central idea of the collection was the humble shirt, reinvented and transformed with 1940s menswear tailoring, creating cotton poplin jackets.

The influence of HR Giger, the creator of Alien, and Joseph Beuys, famous for displaying his own thick felt rabbit suit, could be seen in the designs. The incorporation of light but heavy-looking materials paid homage to Beuys, while architectural inspirations echoed Giger’s fantastic creations.

Prada introduced a range of eye-catching elements throughout the collection. Floral shirts, adorned with fringe and distinctive sleeves, pushed the boundaries of the brand’s signature Hawaiian shirts. “How can an idea that is a cliché be different?” said simons. “The suit, the shirt. This collection is about questioning convention, structure and masculinity.” “We started with the white shirt, the simplest shirt,” Miuccia Prada added. “From that base, from a base of the most basic and normal, you can do whatever you want. It allows for transformation.”

Paired with jeans and shirts, or layered over large coats, fishing vests were reinvented for everyday wear. Then, the runway featured printed shirts, some adorned with tassels and others with origami-style floral appliqués on the tops of the pockets.

As is the Italian brand’s tradition, colours were kept sober. More than half of the looks were predominantly black, navy blue or grey. Of course, there were occasional touches of colour with lilac, red and green pieces scattered throughout the collection. The colour palette also included pastels and touches of brown. 

The notion of fluidity came and went, as things that are usually structured, such as handbags, were soft and padded, while glasses were stiff. Shoes were equally unusual, as several models sported an angular, square-toed slipper. Prada’s formal styling met with technical elements in the debut of utilitarian vests, while reporter jackets and raincoats added a retro-futuristic touch to a collection aimed at stimulating individuality of thought.

“We saw them as three-dimensional decorations,” Prada revealed backstage, describing his novel approach to pockets, which served as both decorative accents and utilitarian features. From tufts of fur emerging from the placket of polo shirts to bulging pockets adorning the sleeves of shirts, his innovative versions of the details were a departure from convention.

Prada’s Spring Summer 2024 men’s collection echoed a broader trend of embracing male sexuality on the Milan runways. Along with other designers, Prada celebrated sensuality and creativity, intertwining fantasy and self-expression. The collection appealed not only to the senses but also stimulated the brain, exemplifying Prada’s reputation for challenging convention and inviting introspection.