A timeline of Prada and OMA / AMO catwalk collaborations

Prada S/S 2012 menswear: AMO created a seating configuration comprising a 'field' of 600 cornflower blue foam blocks spread out on top of bright green artificial grass

(Image credit: press)

By Jack Moss

last updated 7 October 2022

Prada (opens in new tab) and Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas (opens in new tab) have been collaborating for a decade, and whilst the best-known fruits of the partnership are probably their innovative architectural endeavours – think Seoul’s Transformer (opens in new tab) project and the Prada Epicenter in New York – those on the inside track have, for the past eight years or so, been exposed to another side of the creative partnership.

Koolhaas, his Rotterdam-based design studio OMA (opens in new tab) and the AMO think tank, have, since January 2004, collaborated with the Italian house on Prada's catwalk shows.

Adapting the expansive interior space that is part of Milan’s Prada Fondazione in order to meet Koolhaas’s exacting design agenda, the shows are consistently groundbreaking - creating a benchmark in show design not found anywhere else in the industry.

Beginning back in 2004, the show collaborations kicked off with the menswear A/W outing, featuring a relatively simple series of AMO-designed wallpapers draped throughout the space. Recent years however have seen Koolhaas and his team at AMO turn the traditional runway concept on its head, in characteristically innovative style.

The presentation of Prada's S/S 2010 womenswear collection in Milan is one such instance. Designed to split the audience down two sides of an abstracted wall – which came punctuated by seven regularly spaced doors – the openings provided the audience with a fleeting glimpses of the models, whilst 12 projections emulating the interior spaces of grand dame hotels came splashed across the walls, creating a beguiling, through-the-looking-glass effect.

Raising the bar, the Fall 2011 menswear and womenswear setting was a two-storey steel 'house' comprising various rooms - all connected by a corridor which acted as the catwalk.

Following on from this, the menswear and womenswear shows for Sring 2011 took place on an elevated stage, surrounding by stadium-style seating. Covered in a metal grille, the surface of the runway was illuminated with neon lights concealed beneath it.

The latest (and arguably most directional) collaboration, the S/S 2012 menswear show saw guests being greeted not by the traditional catwalk, but rather by a perfectly organised 'field' of 600 cornflower blue foam blocks that were individually spaced in 1.5 x 1.5m grid and spread out on top of bright green artificial grass.

Based on a disciplined spacial system, this layout allowed models to walk through the audience in a carefully choreographed sequence - completely banishing the element of front row hierarchy.

Prada isn't the only brand, however, to be shaking up the fashion show as we know it. To read about more fashion houses cutting the traditional catwalk to embrace the spectacular, turn to our March 2012 issue - out now.

Prada S/S 2012 womenswear: Prada HQ was transformed into an asphalt road, complete with foam cars and subway grids lit from below — **Prada S/S 2012 womenswear:** Prada HQ was transformed into an asphalt road, complete with foam cars and subway grids lit from below

Prada A/W 2011 menswear: The brand's Fall menswear setting was a two-storey steel 'house' comprising of various rooms - all connected by a corridor which acted as the catwalk

Prada A/W 2011 menswear: The brand's Fall menswear setting was a two-storey steel 'house' comprising of various rooms - all connected by a corridor which acted as the catwalk

(Image credit: press)

A/W 2011 womenswear: The two-storey steel 'house' - comfortable enough of course, for 700 guests - made a reappearance for the womenswear collections — **A/W 2011 womenswear:** The two-storey steel 'house' - comfortable enough of course, for 700 guests - made a reappearance for the womenswear collections

S/S 2011: The menswear and womenswear shows both took place on an elevated stage, surrounding by stadium-style seating. The surface of the runway was covered in a metal grille, while neon lights concealed beneath illuminated the runway — **S/S 2011:** The menswear and womenswear shows both took place on an elevated stage, surrounding by stadium-style seating. The surface of the runway was covered in a metal grille, while neon lights concealed beneath illuminated the runway

A/W 2010: The theme of the menswear and womenswear shows was 'abstraction of cities' — **A/W 2010:** The theme of the menswear and womenswear shows was 'abstraction of cities'

S/S 2010 menswear: This show featured a text-covered, perforated wall, set between the audience and the catwalk — **S/S 2010 menswear:** This show featured a text-covered, perforated wall, set between the audience and the catwalk

S/S 2010 womenswear: The show was bisected by a wall featuring projections of scenes from grand hotels — **S/S 2010 womenswear:** The show was bisected by a wall featuring projections of scenes from grand hotels

S/S 2009 menswear: A series of undulating timber seating islands demarcated the show space. The modular seating units were also seen later in the year for the A/W 2009 menswear show — **S/S 2009 menswear:** A series of undulating timber seating islands demarcated the show space. The modular seating units were also seen later in the year for the A/W 2009 menswear show

S/S 2009 womenswear: Models moved to two vanishing points during show — **S/S 2009 womenswear:** Models moved to two vanishing points during show

A/W 2008 menswear: Models followed the curves in the digitalized, achromatic space — **A/W 2008 menswear:** Models followed the curves in the digitalized, achromatic space

S/S 2008 menswear: An understated underwater-style space, which used arrows on the ground to mark the way for the models — **S/S 2008 menswear:** An understated underwater-style space, which used arrows on the ground to mark the way for the models

S/S 2008 womenswear: A series of James Jean prints were designed to accompany a clover leaf-shaped catwalk — **S/S 2008 womenswear:** A series of James Jean prints were designed to accompany a clover leaf-shaped catwalk

A/W 2007 menswear: A spiraling, fossil-like creation in orange — **A/W 2007 menswear:** A spiraling, fossil-like creation in orange

A/W 2007 womenswear: An interplay of mirrors and lights was used by Koolhaas to create a sensation of suspended time — **A/W 2007 womenswear:** An interplay of mirrors and lights was used by Koolhaas to create a sensation of suspended time

S/S 2007 menswear: AMO's projected screens, featuring images about the future of masculinity — **S/S 2007 menswear:** AMO's projected screens, featuring images about the future of masculinity

S/S 2007 menswear: Stark Bauhaus-style decor — **S/S 2007 menswear:** Stark Bauhaus-style decor

A/W 2006 womenswear: Bright, airy and open was the story of the day for the women's A/W 2006 show — **A/W 2006 womenswear:** Bright, airy and open was the story of the day for the women's A/W 2006 show

A/W 2006 menswear: In contrast to the womenswear show space, Fall's menswear offering used a linear configuration — **A/W 2006 menswear:** In contrast to the womenswear show space, Fall's menswear offering used a linear configuration

S/S 2006 womenswear: Mirrors, chromes, pearlescent lighting and brushed metal seating consoles illuminated the brand's Spring collection

S/S 2006 womenswear: Mirrors, chromes, pearlescent lighting and brushed metal seating consoles illuminated the brand's Spring collection

(Image credit: press)

S/S 2005 womenswear: A series of thirteen Fernando Di Leo films were projected onto the walls back in 2005 — **S/S 2005 womenswear:** A series of thirteen Fernando Di Leo films were projected onto the walls back in 2005

S/S 2005 menswear: Blocky illustrated prints adorned the walls for the Spring show — **S/S 2005 menswear:** Blocky illustrated prints adorned the walls for the Spring show

S/S 2004 menswear: The first collaboration between OMA and Prada back in 2004 featured a series of posters lining the runway in the Prada Fondazione — **S/S 2004 menswear:** The first collaboration between OMA and Prada back in 2004 featured a series of posters lining the runway in the Prada Fondazione

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Jack Moss is the Fashion Features Editor at Wallpaper*. Having previously held roles at 10, 10 Men and AnOther magazines, he joined the team in 2022. His work has a particular focus on the moments where fashion and style intersect with other creative disciplines – among them art and design – as well as championing a new generation of international talent and profiling the industry’s leading figures and brands.