Want to stand out in the handbag crowd? Prada may now be the place to shop
PRADA HAS always been about bags—before it was a megabrand, before it did ready-to-wear, even before its way with plain black nylon made a Prada bag the de ning accessory of the mid-1980s—before all of that, it was a leather goods and luggage company. Bags are the natural bellwether for the brand, so fashion editors and industry analysts watch their development closely.
Back in February, when models showed the fall-winter 2016 collection in Milan, they were layered in jacquard dresses, nautical jackets, cotton corsets and lots of leather accessories. Harnesses, strung with miniature leather-bound books, wrapped around their waists; embellished versions of the book charms hung from their necks; they held traditional, boxy Prada bags in their hands, had smaller, wallet-sized bags hanging on thin straps from their shoulders, and crossbody saddlebags rested high on their hips. Many of these could be customized—for an extra 650 euros or so—with embellished straps. While in the past Prada emphasized clean, modern functionality, this layering of clothes and accessories was a full-pelt run at more-is-more eclecticism.