The theme of the current issue of PILOT is Fashion Vs Architecture. The convergence of art, architecture, fashion, technology and design is part of the fabric of the modern world. In recent years the elite fashion houses have begun to foster close working relationships with some of the world’s leading architects. Prada have a long-standing relationship with Rem Koolhass and The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). OMA have designed two US stores for Prada and the recently completed Prada Transformer, a rotating multi-use pavilion in Seoul. OMA have also designed a number of Prada’s lookbooks over the years. Lookbooks are not generally seen outside of the inner fashion industry, essentially their core function is to display next season’s clothing for retail stores who then decide what pieces to order. A good look book can show a fashion collection in the full context that a fashion campaign might only hint at, expressing the many different themes of a collection whether literally or thematically. In the case of Prada, there’s something very romantic about the idea that one of the world’s most admired fashion brands would outsource their lookbook design to a group of middle-aged, spectacle wearing architects.
Prada’s new lookbook expands on Miuccia Prada’s Fall Winter 09 themes: “Untouched nature, looming crises and urban decadence become graphic fashion themes in an unedited imaginary.”
It’s a wonderful example of one of the defining themes of the noughties — the boundaries between all creative disciplines have become ever more fluid as the communication age facilitates the open exchange of new ideas and perspectives. In this case the nice bit is, somewhat unusually for a major Fashion house, Prada are giving the lookbook away as a free high-res download. Want to see Prada’s Fall Winter 09 collection filtered through the perspective of one of the world’s most forward-looking architecture practices? Amaze Me
