How can the hyper-informed reality we live in be distilled into a collection and brought to life on the runway? Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons answered this question with precision at their Spring/Summer 2025 show. The eclectic collection, a display of references from Prada and their individual bodies of work, went beyond mere retrospection. At its core, it sought to extract and celebrate the individuality within each of us, pushing back against the homogenising forces of the digital age.

The collection fused futurism with classic archetypes, featuring visionary, Cardin-like eyewear and headwear juxtaposed with bourgeois blouses adorned with pussy bows. Echoes of the menswear collection were apparent, most notably in trousers with trompe l’oeil belts. The designs reflected both the raw and refined aspects of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons’ aesthetics: pierced leather dresses paired with moccasins served as a striking example of this duality.

The designers are on a mission to present characters, not just ideas, on the runway. In this case, each figure sent down the runway embodied a ‘superhero’—a hypercharged version of oneself, carrying all our fantasies, freedoms, and unfiltered ideas, untethered from any social constraint or digital influence. It was a visceral, instinctive approach to dressing, encouraging expression driven by pure emotion rather than algorithmic suggestion.

Amid the current hype surrounding archival fashion, Prada made a savvy move by revisiting some of their most coveted designs—many of which fetch thousands on resale sites. Iconic pieces like the thunder pumps and brogue espadrilles made their return, reminding us always that to renew Prada, there is nothing better than reference Prada.