My education into menswear continues... The Prada Man aka the stylish über nerd

Always one to offer an alternative aesthetic, Prada, has once more delivered an odd form of brilliance with its recent NY menswear collection for autumn/winter 2013/14. 

Muiccia's focus on 'perfection' for this collection was certainly evident in individual pieces; jumpers, jackets, trousers, were excellent renditions of staple menswear items but viewed all together and the look is evocative of a mathematician in his fifties on Redbull. Smart, sure, but clumsy. Oh and I'm pretty sure the fifth model down the catwalk was Mr Gilbert from my old secondary school.

In persuit of mathematical perfection Prada autumn/winter 2013/14

It would be wrong to call the Prada aesthetic weird. Charmingly odd perhaps. Whatever you’d like to call it, Prada certainly has a knack at capturing the audience’s interest, albeit in a 'I can't quite help but look' kind of way. 

Don't get me wrong, I liked parts of the collection. The above-ankle pleated to perfection trousers, the slightly iridescent black/blue wool jackets. 

I also loved how Muiccia used typically punchy punk colours and patterns (blood red, blue and yellow checks) and managed to make them look so, well, uncool; which of course, unequivocally and by its very definition makes it cool. 

Thanks Prada, for making me appreciate the unexpected. 

And may the über nerd live long and prosper. 

v

Milano

Ciao! I'm back in the UK after a two-week trip to Milan (for research purposes I'll have you know).

So what of this fashion capital?

Now, please understand I am a poor masters student and consequently, my trip did not involve ANY shopping. How boring.

 

This did not stop me however from soaking up the splendour of Gucci and Prada window displays and the super shininess of Rinascente (the city's uber fabulous department store on 8 floors). Actually, I much preferred the Gallerias for shopping spaces. It's that mix of the old and new; the drama and spectacle of the architecture against contemporary print, fabric and sparkly accessories.

Galleria Vittorio Emauelle II is worth a visit for its sheer immense size, mosaic floor and hypnotically high domed roof. And sitting proudly, as it does no doubt, in its prominent location, adjacent to the mesmerising Duomo cathedral, this is the place to be.

The problem with the Duomo area? Tourists. I had to literally hunt around the camera wielding bunch (of which I was one of course) for the super stylish, glamourous types I inadvertently associated with Milan. As such, I left the city quite underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, glamour, shininess and fashion certainly exist in the city's numerous gallerias. But no one place which wowed me with representations of my preconceived notions of Italian grace and beauty.

Which makes me think... is fashion a myth? Or at least, are the fashion capitals: Milan, Paris, London and New York, mythological in their fashion status? Or am I being too quick to judge?

Think another trip to the Italian 'fashion haven' is needed. Luckily, that can be arranged. I'm heading back in June for some fashion conferences as part of my journey into Italian fashion. I'll let you know what I find.

V