In a first for the Milanese fashion brand, Prada has enlisted an outside collaborator to mastermind its store window concept, also marking the inaugural fashion collaboration for Italian designer Martino Gamper. The joint debut, unveiled in Milan, will be rolled out to Prada's 300-plus family of stores worldwide.
Entitled 'Corners', the windows are designed as a celebration of the humble corner, while Gamper's work is part sculptural installation, part practical solution that draws viewers into the space forming a magnetic display for the collection and a dramatic sight for passers-by.
Since developing an in-depth study of corners during his time at the Royal College of Art, and dedicating his dissertation to the fruits of his research, many of Gamper's furniture pieces have been developed with the corner in mind. His wide-reaching portfolio includes the aptly titled 'Corner Shelf', 'Corner Speaker', 'Corner Lights', 'Corner Bench', plus several other items devoted to filling an angular space.
The windows' design riff on the boxy shapes and geometric detailing of Prada's S/S 2015 offering. And given the somewhat deconstructed nature of the collection, Gamper feels like a natural choice for the brand this season, with his raw finishes a beautiful complement to the clothes.
'The main idea was to play with perspective and geometry,' explains Gamper, whose brief included working with wood and creating a nature-inspired concept with a simplicity that would enhance the clothes, while displaying the complexity of the wood.
He selected oak, maple and ebony and combined them with marquetry techniques to convey the perception of the corner. The result is a flexible concept that can adapt to the full range of the brand's global displays, and that combines Prada's fashion sensitivity with Gamper's intellectual design language.
Entitled 'Corners', the windows are designed as a celebration of the humble corner, while Gamper's work is part sculptural installation, part practical solution that draws viewers into the space forming a magnetic display for the collection and a dramatic sight for passers-by.
Since developing an in-depth study of corners during his time at the Royal College of Art, and dedicating his dissertation to the fruits of his research, many of Gamper's furniture pieces have been developed with the corner in mind.
The window design plays on the boxy shapes and geometric detailing of Prada's S/S 2015 offering.
Models of the concept, which can be adapted to accomodate the spectrum of Prada's global store.
'The main idea was to play with perspective and geometry,' explains Gamper, whose brief included working with wood and creating a nature-inspired concept with a simplicity that would enhance the clothes, while displaying the complexity of the wood.
Gamper selected oak, maple and ebony and combined them with marquetry techniques to convey the perception of the corner.
Early prototypes of the window designs.
Gamper's mood board is a study of geometry and line.