October 7, 2025 |
If anyone can make the humble apron a high-fashion must have it is Mrs Prada at Miu Miu. “The apron is my favorite piece of clothing in general,” said the designer backstage, but there’s a serious reason why. “In fashion, we always talk about glamour and rich people, but we have to recognise also that life is very different,” she said. “For me, the apron [symbolises] the real, difficult life of women in history, from factories to home.”
Her show was about “recognising women’s work”. She and her team were inspired by the beautiful black and white portraits of female factory workers in the book Helga Paris: Women at Work.
And so to the factory we went. The audience perched on work canteen tables as the models strode by in workwear jackets, patched with leather, heavy-duty work boots and canvas aprons. Sometimes the aprons were worn as a dress with string bras underneath and sometimes they were left open at the back to reveal knickers (wearing just knickers is not a challenge for the Miu Miu girl who has happily worn previous Miu Miu offering of micro skirts and bedazzled sequin hot pants). Then there were, retro floral pinnies and housecoats – the kind worn every day by iconic Coronation Street character Hilda Ogden as well as housekeeper skirt-suits and a cameo from Richard E. Grant in a heavy duty leather welders apron and cable knit. As the show progressed, the aprons got more fancy, bedazzled with metallic studs or crystals, coming in pink or yellow lace, or embellished with frills. Little sleeveless shirt were open at the side with apron ties, knits popped over the head like a dinner lady’s tabard. When the final look came out – a heavy duty workwear coat with a bedazzled apron popped on top – you could see why Mrs Prada loves the apron so much. They’re good for work and play. Pop a fancy one over workwear basics and you are suddenly transformed.
Photography courtesy of Miu Miu.
