Miu Miu: Protest and survival chic

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Mar 5, 2019

A sense of rage and a call for revolt at the Miu Miu show, which managed to be arty, elegant and political all in one collection.

 
A camouflage-inflected collection, like quite a few shows this season, but one modulated with a much more powerful message than just athleisure. 
 
“I used to wear camouflage, all my friends did. It was our way of protesting! Camouflage can mean two things, either blending in, or dressing to go out and protest,” explained Miu Miu’s creative director Miuccia Prada post show.

The end product was a powerful show, another Miuccia balancing act where she created avant-garde high-end fashion that also carried a political message.
 
Cutting with considerable volume, Miuccia sent out cape coats, with bronze buttons and side slits, worn with never-ending tights and garters. All anchored by new combat boot platforms – Miuccia’s militant will never be anything else than à la mode. 
 
Camouflage everything from the boots, varsity scarves and bomber jackets to the hooded blousons, cashmere twinsets and brilliantly ruffled parka dresses. A fantastic combo summing up all Miuccia’s many influences. For the after-hours, perfectly draped semi-sheer pinafore dresses, worn with diamanté high heels.
 

“The camouflage stands for protest, and the capes for culture. Defending our culture and our democratic ways against intolerance. That is vital today,” insisted Miuccia.
 
In a brilliant piece of staging, Miuccia requested UK-based artist Sharna Osborne to work on the set. Initially she asked to reimagine Miu Miu publicity shots, before giving the artist far freer rein. The result was a fantastic set, with distorted videos of Osborne’s personal obsessions – indistinct airplanes in flight, men wrestling with their dogs and, bizarrely, a Mariah Carey birthday cake. And, all very in spirit with this atypical collection.