Pradasphere at Harrods

Today I immersed myself in Miuccia`s world as I visited a highly-acclaimed Prada exhibition in Harrods. Called `Pradasphere`, it offers a glimpse of the rarefied realm of the designer, who powers one of the most influential design houses on earth.

I started at the Café Marchesi, a pop-up space, which celebrates this traditional Milanese pastry shop, newly acquired by Prada; it opened in Milan in 1824; I am wearing an un-branded dress, which was complimented today by four strangers, a light shawl by Missoni, bag by Michael Kors, shoes by Juicy Couture, and sunglasses by Marc Jacobs.

 

I was then taken on a private tour of the exhibition by a Prada-clad, dashing young actor. He told me that many garments made by Prada use ancient techniques and therefore require long hours of work, and exceptional skills. He also pointed out that Miuccia Prada is well-known for successfully mixing unexpected materials, like latex and linen.

We looked at this mesh dress, with faceted iridescent acrylic drops; he said it was inspired by a chandelier!

The garments displayed on mannequins were grouped into typologies: This dress in acrylic drops attached by hand with metal rings represents one of the typologies, called `Excessivity`. The belt is made of crystals.

My favourite typology was called `Animality` and was represented by this fabulous python coat, and check-print dress in silk organza. The design made its catwalk debut in 2011.

I particularly liked this mink coat, from 2013, for its short, silky fur and shiny tips.

I gasped with delight when seeing these va-va-voom shoes from the 2012 collection, which was inspired by 1950s feminine sweetness.  

The highlight of the exhibition however was a roll-call of short, stylish films, directed for Prada by James Lima, Yang Fudong and Roman Polanski, among others.  Polanski`s was the funniest clip, as it depicted a rich heiress who entered her psycho-therapists` office wearing a fabulous Prada coat.  She flopped herself on a sofa, and was unaware that her psycho-therapist was fascinated by her fur coat. He stroked it and then put it on, accompanied by a slogan ` Prada suits everyone`. Indeed!