Even "Dirty" Prada Looks so Clean
To the untrained eye, Prada's ready-to-wear may look almost shockingly simple. The Milanese house has a habit of proposing quietly elegant garments in trim shapes and fabrications so mature that they rarely translate to two-dimensional product photos. But such is the genius of Prada.
For nearly 40 years, when it began offering ready-to-wear, the house has put forth grounded garments that epitomize the aesthete's wardrobe. Prada is how the thinker, the gallerist, the curator, the writer tangibly demonstrates good taste. Or ought to.
In a nutshell, Prada's clothing is markedly "clean," emphasizing uninterrupted lines flattering to the form. But what about when Prada goes workwear, tackling lived-in shapes and makes that would otherwise indicate a life of hard wear?
Nope, still clean.
The washed-out and worn-in garments that comprise a portion of Prada's recent offerings demonstrate its capacity to clean up nice. Even these faded and ripped denim jackets and work pants are guided by the label's unshakeable grace. In other words, even a thrashed Prada chore coat is pretty darn crispy.
Prada most recently began demonstrating an interest in tough stuff a few years back, when it started to incorporate washed-out canvas workwear into its menswear line. It looked great, of course, and got to the heart of what made both that clothing and Prada's own oeuvre so appealing: these are no-brainer easy-wearing clothes designed for rough stuff but, in doing so, become perfect uniform fodder. The fact that Prada's fancy versions are treated to already feel broken-in only makes them that much better.
And while labels like Balenciaga might make wider waves with their wilder takes on this sort of distressed fare, Prada's urbane workwear is the more mature option.
Prada's latest selection includes even washed leather bags, demonstrating the breadth of appeal at play here. There are also some clever touches, like Prada cutting its worn work trousers from its signature cotton gabardine, a typically utilitarian fabric that Prada makes all its own (same for nylon).
The highest compliment you can say about this sort of thing is that it speaks for itself, one picture's worth one thousand words and all that. And to the layman, Prada's subtle stylings may be too quiet to be fully appreciated.
But if you admire how neither the gentle tears on the collar of a faded jacket nor the warped hues on a pant's leg detract from the inherent versatility of the garments at play, you get it. And you can appreciate how even Prada can make even the "dirtiest" clothes look so clean.
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