April 9, 2024 |
Spring has really, truly sprung. But don’t take it from us, take it from Prada En Plein Air, the Italian heavyweight’s vernal installation series which is set to pop up across continents throughout the season. First stop? The Selfridges Corner Shop. Taking over the iconic Oxford Street retail space from now until May 19, step into the welcoming embrace of an imaginative garden inspired by English botanics and reflect upon the past and present of Prada.
Vibrant and wild, the display feels reminiscent of the Perspex glass flooring, beneath which an abundant microenvironment flourished with trickling streams and lush sprouting greenery, that models stomped across at the men’s and women’s AW24 shows. But while the tiling at Selfridges hasn’t been torn up and replaced with greenery, the walls are lined with evocative images of Earth’s impressive natural landscapes as well as lush, germinating meadows and the floors are chequered with astroturf and chrome creating garden-like pathways between the racks of clothes. Described in the installation notes as “a poetic and intriguing elsewhere that immediately invites visitors to enjoy a quiet moment of escapism and introspection, a gentle break from everyday life”, visitors can expect to be completely immersed in the breezy, free-spirit of the showcase.
Developed to house an exclusive offering of men’s and women’s ready-to-wear and accessories, created for the occasion and unveiled here for the first time, Prada En Plein Air isn’t one to miss. Laid out amid bohemian wood furnishings, womenswear comprises fluid and feminine garments such as silk skirts, tops and lingerie essentials (bras, bodysuits and tights) crafted from swaths of ultralight tulle and organza. These romantic pieces arrive alongside more structured pieces, perfect for the unpredictable weather of the British spring. Think tailored denim, jersey garments and knitwear, as well as sun dresses and miniskirts in exquisite brocade fabrics or with jacquard designs of either sweet yet sophisticated florals or passels of pastel and natural hues.
For men, striped and floral shirts are ideal for countryside escapades, while denim, poplin and canvas attire bring a certain toughness to the range. Traversing both collections, eccentric pairings coincide with classic Prada patterns, while the materials and artisanal techniques used recall the brand’s 111-year history.
Prada knows that central to any good spring wardrobe are the accessories, so it’s added in a series of crocheted and wicker bucket bags perfect for a picnic in the park, as well as covetable cage sandals, to the offering. Not to mention a selection of fabric and leather bags (most notably, the Re-Edition 1978 which has undergone a slight redesign here with new Saffiano leather detailing) loafers and trainers. Whatever your springtime plans are, be it a Sunday stroll down at Columbia Road Flower Market, sipping tinnies in Victoria Park or tending to your nan’s garden, Prada En Plein Air has something for everyone.
Photography courtesy of Prada.
