Every Prada show feels like the start of a bigger dialogue, and this one was no exception. SS26, titled Body of Composition, took place at Fondazione Prada on a lacquered orange floor that immediately brought us back to June’s menswear show in the same space. That decision wasn’t just aesthetic, but it was a way of showing continuity, linking both collections into the same story. And honestly, Milan hadn’t seen this kind of coherence between heritage and renewal in a while.
The looks played into that idea of composition. We saw pants held up with shoulder straps, skirts stitched together like collages—the so-called Frankenstein skirts—and bra tops that seemed to hold their shape without structure. Prada had already explored this territory in F/W 2024 with its pared-back, backless skirts designed to be styled front-to-back and layered over slips. But in S/S 2026 it shifted with a ruffled taffeta panel fused with lace and a grey satin midi collaged with a bubblegum-pink tier. It was messy on purpose, and that deliberate tension is exactly what keeps Prada captivating season after season.
Both directors framed the collection around freedom. Simons described it as “a license to combine”, a refusal to treat fashion as a rigid sculpture on the female body. And you could see it—uniforms paired with opera gloves, crisp shirts layered under sequined bralettes, and workwear silhouettes. It didn’t look polished or perfectly resolved, but as I’ve mentioned before, that's the whole point.
Accessories made a strong return. Rhinestones and pearls resurfaced across the board: collars encrusted on satin tunics, colourful stones on square-neck tops, and kitten heels with rhinestone details that felt playful rather than nostalgic. Opera gloves in jewel tones, oversized earrings, and sharp bags added to that mix of utility and exaggeration. What stood out is that Prada hasn’t leaned this hard into embellishment in years, and it worked, because it connects directly to the house’s history. Even Miuccia herself has been spotted in those long satin gloves, and seeing them styled here gave the collection a very personal edge.
The palette underlined the shift. Beyond the usual navy and olive came bursts of fuchsia, violet, red, and acid green. It was a direct pushback against the “quiet luxury” mood still hanging in the air at other houses.
It was one of the strongest and most exciting collections we’ve seen this week. The contrasts in colour, texture, and shape were sharp, but the pieces still felt wearable and grounded. At a time when many houses are in the middle of creative reshuffles and new debuts, Prada stood steady. It didn’t need to reinvent itself, and it just proved once again why it sets the pace.
