Milan Menswear Autumn/Winter 2008

Prada, Autumn/Winter '08 (scroll down to read the review)
Prada
It may not seem that obvious (with Prada it never is and that’s the point) but the Prada show was all about sex, and specifically the blurring of boundaries between masculinity and femininity. Miuccia Prada has been exploring this theme for several seasons, yet she manages to shock us again and again with where she ends up.

Shirt collars and cuffs were detached turning them in to accessories or jewellery in the form of chokers and bracelets and belts resembled mini tutus. The bib front from a dress shirt (or was its origin the waistcoat?) reappeared as a halterneck top, while cummerbunds (or were they underwear?) defined the waist - worn together the two pieces could be mistaken for a bikini.

The necktie, another iconic piece from a gent’s wardrobe was completely reinvented as a kind of breastplate that flashed flesh from under a suit. There was more flesh in the form of nude coloured knits, and strap closures up the back hinted to bondage. Yet another vintage Prada collection.