Prada SS27: Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons Redefine the Basics
Are skinny jeans back? Can you wear head-to-toe yellow? These were the questions the co-creative directors aimed to answer.
If Prada’s SS27 collection was any indication, skinny jeans are bent on making a comeback. But the focus wasn’t simply on bringing back slimmer silhouettes; it was on making familiar wardrobe staples feel fresh again. Titled Clarity, the collection saw co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons return to the basics, highlighting everyday pieces such as blazers, leather jackets, jeans and glasses, all with a distinct Prada twist.
Rather than reinventing the wardrobe entirely, the duo played with proportions, styling and unexpected details to elevate the familiar. The collection leaned into refined tailoring, from waist-length cropped jackets to narrow trousers, creating slimmer, cleaner silhouettes while still leaving room for contrast.
Models were seen in ultra-tight leather trousers, fitted tops, cropped jackets and low-rise trousers, creating a streamlined look that felt polished rather than overly restrictive. Then came elongated shoes covered in straps, extending the line of the body and making the already slim proportions appear even longer and leaner. While the silhouettes may have been pared back, the styling kept things from feeling too predictable.
Opening the show was Julia Nobis in a white denim co-ordinated set paired with an oversized blazer, before the collection moved into form-fitting, full-leather looks. The contrast between oversized tailoring and close-fitting pieces showed how much of the collection was really about playing with proportion. Familiar pieces were pushed, cropped, tightened or exaggerated, giving them a new sense of character without losing what made them recognisable in the first place.
Prints and pops of colour occasionally made an appearance, with hints reminiscent of the 1960s adding another layer to the otherwise pared-back wardrobe. Accessories, too, were given their own unexpected treatment. Mismatched and asymmetrical glasses were paired with nylon bags clipped to belts, turning practical accessories into styling statements. It was these smaller details that made the collection feel distinctly Prada: the clothes may have started with the basics, but the styling refused to leave them basic.
Clarity, therefore, wasn’t about stripping the wardrobe down to simplicity for simplicity’s sake. Instead, Prada showed that there is still plenty of room to experiment within the clothes we already know and wear. By revisiting staples through sharper tailoring, unexpected proportions and playful accessories, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons made a convincing case for the elevated everyday wardrobe — proving that sometimes, you don’t need to reinvent the basics; you just need to see them differently.
