Prada. Spring 2020 RTW - Milan Fashion Week

Images from the designer and the public domain. Credited to the 

photographer/company where applicable: Gorunway.com )

Fashion is probably at a crossroads, more so that it struggling to define itself in a time when markets, particularly as consumers are beginning to wind back their purchases.  Which, is probably a shock via a decade plus of persistent sales, in respect to the luxury fashion markets.  That on the whole, China has been the big buyer.  In our deceptive time of global trade markets and cashless transactions, recession and inflation have (somewhat) been smoothed out into possible 10 yr cycles and when they hit in earnest, they will hit hard.  Already there is a corperate earnings recession with a collapse in company profits, this is usually the precursor to a general recession.  So in turn, the slowing down of fashion is causing some of the bigger brands to scramble into marketing protocols, hence the 'slow fashion' or the backlash against rampant consumerism 'sell' points,  mixed with the upcycling and recycled material pledge.  The causes are admirable with cynicism aside, but it is a patch work of sloganeering as a marketable offer to the buyer, but in all honestly they may end up being excuses to why sales are poor.  Miuccia Prada in preparation to her Spring 2020 collection offered a mixed message pre show of her reasoning why consumption is slowing and that fashion “...has too much of everything.” In her quoted remakes prior, she seemed to struggle defining a point on what is good and bad in regards to fast and slow fashion.  Although she need not justify anything, if fashion does contract and luxury items become more exclusive, so be it.  The admiration of bespoke quality is on the skills and effort of creating exclusive pieces.  

Of all the trends of 2019, it is the mix and match Thrift looks, with tailored and more refined, modernist styles returning to the runways.  Prada have been able to cover both of these trends within their previous seasons.  For Spring 2020, Miuccia, despite advising that she would like to reduce the overabundance of clothing from her brand, has set an array of 51 pieces and according to her press conference before hand, the materials were sourced deadstock from Prada warehouses.  Keeping this in mind, Miuccia has been able to stream the collection into three parts, there is the refined coats and blazer with their modernist styles, couture looks and Thrift sensibilities as a broad appeal.  

Miuccia has delivered an impressive ensemble of fabrics for her 2020 Ready-to-Wear styles, from fine wools, lush cottons, silk, velvet and leather.  As mentioned, she has split the collection, so it is eclectic in its totality, there are pieces which stand out, whilst others have been seen dozens of times from Prada.