Prada co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons held two concurrent presentations in Milan and Shanghai, each presentation essentially identical but for their individual casts of models.
Individual beauty reigned supreme in both locations, but 24 models in Shanghai received a special treat: a virtual haircut from the great Guido Palau. If you’re not sure what that means, don’t worry—it was a strange idea to Palau as well, at least until the outbreak.
“It was really strange,” Palau confesses of the experience, which saw him practically coaching Chinese hairstylists via a translator in the days preceding up to the presentation.
Each cut was less dramatic and more subtle and nuanced, focusing on complementing each model’s features and hair shapes for an edgy, cool-girl impact. Consider wispy fringe, choppy bobs, and shaggy layers.
“I didn’t want the cuts to look extreme—I wanted to give them more individuality…breaking down square shapes and heaviness of the hair,” explained Palau. “Cutting bangs, cutting layers, putting texture in the hair.”
Backstage in Milan, Palau accentuated each model’s natural texture by dampening strands and raking Hairstory’s Hair Balm through the mid-lengths and ends for a little undone air-dried look.
Keeping with the minimalist aesthetic, makeup artist Pat McGrath chose to give each girl—both in person and virtually—“hyperreal, cinematic skin” with her Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection The System using her new Lunar Nude highlighter on the high areas of her face.
The rest of the makeup was held together by well-groomed brows, curled lashes, and slicks of clear Lip Fetish balm on the lips.
“At the end of the day, the way the girls looked in both places was very modern, unreferenced,” Palau said. “It was kind of about each girl’s personality.
Miuccia and Raf wanted the girls to feel as if they had just put on their clothes and walked down the street. We haven’t taken this strategy in a long time at Prada.
We frequently emphasize a more defined beauty narrative.
” With a come-as-you-are mentality and a cool, cutting-edge attitude, Prada can always be counted on to provide a strong beauty statement. This season, more than ever, there is truly something for everyone.
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