A LITTLE BIT OF PRADA AND STEVEN MEISEL FOR A MONDAY

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

I'm always happy when a new Prada advertising campaign pops into my inbox. There are multiple reasons for this: obviously its good to see a skew on the Prada fashion mindset for the forthcoming season, and Meisel never disappoints me with the clarity of his vision for the brand. Neither does the press release, for which I reserve special reading pleasure. The precision! The detail! The detachment! Its as if the press release were written by an art curator at the Uffizi. Maybe it was.


"Models are arranged in careful poses in the futuristic enclosure, the precise angle of an arm and an elegant neck echoing the geometry of the scene. Shifting camera angles and an endless depth of field create a playful illusion of perspective and proportion, recalling the setting for a videogame.
Occupying the space on multiple levels characters in the foreground appear magnified, while others recede into the distance like virtual princesses poised for combat. The models’ unified gaze creates a seductive focus as our eye navigates the frame and its unexpected dimensions. Blocks of coordinated colour created by clothing, dip-dyed hair and furniture produce a chromatic architecture for our fashion avatars." 

So, now I know that geometric print tailored trouser suits with cropped flared pants and juicily red high-heeled golfing loafers are the future of street style images for the next six months.
Personally, I love the navy chunkily beaded sleeveless coat in the second image and the way Miuccia styles them over too-short trousers and clown shoes with rubber mini-shoe-galoshes.

Steven Meisel's latest Prada Campaign for AW12