July 1, 2018 |
“Hotels are so mysterious,” mused Mrs Prada as she stood in the dusty grandeur of the Regina, lobby. This historic Paris hotel provided the atmospheric setting for her Miu Miu Resort show. Sit on one of its gilded lobby sofas for long enough there’s no telling what intrigue you might see. How about Rowan Blanchard, the teenage actress and activist who opened the show, all dolled up in a black satin column dress and Pink feather boa. She looked like she was moonlighting as a grown-up, having snuck away from her minders to go on a clandestine date. Or Naomi Campbell, who majestically swept past in a pair of teeny shorts and a boyfriend cardigan (who did she get that from?). Then there was Chloe Sevingy, trotting by and trying to hide her racy, black vinyl hot pants beneath a vividly printed chiffon babydoll. She was followed by Jaime King in a sheer nightie with glittering crystal trim. Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink provided an ingenue moment in a cut away turquoise chiffon gown, whilst Gwendoline Christie projected pure grandeur as she sailed through the salons in a feather trimmed Pink leopard lame coat (gaudy in a good way). Uma Thurman closed the show, vamping and camping like a golden era movie goddess (she even wore shades). “It was the most spontaneous thing I’ve done in a long time,” said a smiling Mrs Prada, who’d called the actresses just two days before to ask them to walk. She also spoke of the sense of freedom she felt designing “in-between” shows like cruise and Pre. “They are more fun,” she said, compared to her more ready-to-wear outings which she described as “serious”. In contrast, these Cruise collection clothes had a sense of giddy spontaneity. Melding day, night and bedtime, sixties-style printed peignoirs were worn over daywear and negligees doubled as evening gowns. It had overtones of camp, Carry On naughtiness Barbara Windsor would have loved the nighties. We did too.
