Prada has unveiled its Spring/Summer 2027 womenswear collection, with Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons placing a single garment at the centre of their latest exploration: the skirt.
Titled “The Skirt”, the collection examines the garment through a series of variations, using its graphic, linear and modernist silhouette as a fixed framework for experimentation. Prada describes the skirt as an “obsession” and focuses on its ability to exist independently while also changing in relation to the pieces worn alongside it.
Function plays a central role in the collection. Contrasting Velcro is used as a base for crystal embroidery, retaining its practical purpose while also becoming decorative. As a fastening, it allows the skirts to be adjusted and their shapes altered, revealing or concealing embellishment. Oversized metal snap fasteners are embellished with jewels, while crinoline, traditionally used as an internal component, is transformed into a decorative layer or protective shell.
The collection also explores how materials can alter the perception of familiar forms. Industrial fabrics including ciré matt and Re-Nylon are translated into pleated constructions, while cotton is treated to resemble leather or suede. Elsewhere, crystal skirts recreate the appearance of guipure lace, while floral prints described as modest and innocent are applied to cotton and synthetic fabrics.
Pleating is used to introduce movement and change the relationship between the garment and the body. One pleated skirt expands beyond the body, with its loose material held in the hand, creating a shifting silhouette and gesture. Layers similarly introduce an element of revelation, changing what is visible as the garments move.
The skirt is also considered in relation to the other pieces in the collection. Rather than functioning solely as a complete garment, it can become a fragment of a larger look, with its appearance and meaning altered by the pieces worn with it. Sweaters, shirts and bra tops each create different relationships with the skirt, offering alternate interpretations of the overall silhouette.
For Spring/Summer 2027, Prada’s approach is therefore centred on repetition and variation within a deliberately restricted framework. By maintaining a particular form language throughout the collection, Prada uses the skirt as a starting point for examining how a familiar garment can be transformed through construction, materials, function and its relationship with the rest of the look.
