Milan Fashion Week Spring 2011: Prada

   I am at a loss for words when it come to describing Prada’s recently unveiled Spring 2011 Collection. Vibrant? Yes. Colorful? Yes. Tasteful? Not so much – which is highly disappointing, considering this was the season – I had very much hoped – Prada’s handbag collection would finally bounce back from the last couple of bland runway shows with new-found elegance and style that many of us so love the brand for!

   Instead, very far from being the case, the collection was nothing more – or less – than just COLORful garments and handbags coming down the runway. Nothing intriguing, or new, or out of the (extra)ordinary in terms of design. Sure, not all garments necessarily need to be as intricate as Alexander McQueen’s are in order to stun us, the audience, – nonetheless, even the simplest designs have shown to achieve this effect at times. Many of us actually appreciate the beauty of simplicity, less being more, and accessorizing with color to create a stand-out look – n’est-ce pas? So how could Prada get it so wrong?

   Perhaps their greatest setback was the absence of creativity and originality in the design room. If you are the least bit familiar with Louis Vuitton’s Epi Leather Montaigne Clutch, no doubt you have spotted the resemblance of this season’s Prada bags to the Mongaigne Clutch’s frame. This makes one really wonder, are there any creative juices left in Prada to showcase more than just the colorful copycats that were this spring season’s bags?