Credit: Prada
Prada says no more concept. With its spring summer 2026 menswear collection, the brand turns off the intellectual narrative to turn the spotlight back on workshop savoir-faire. Garments and accessories abandon the glossy aesthetic to rediscover the language of local craftsmanship. But if there is a return to the origins - such as the materials and techniques that have made the Prada brothers' leather goods famous - it is not just a matter of nostalgia: it is a lucid strategy, which aims at enhancing the quality of the well-made.
The silhouettes remain clean, but each garment is designed to enhance the precision of craftsmanship. In the jackets, irregular seams become a decorative element, pockets are prominently applied and finishes are enriched with weaves, fringes, straps and seals. The surface is never neutral: embossing, engravings and signs of workmanship suggest an idea of uniqueness, designed as much for the producer as for the wearer.
In footwear, the thong sandal in natural leather recalls the traditional Mediterranean shape, but is distinguished by scalloped edges and through-stitching. The moccasin with gommini, a must-have in the most classic Italian wardrobe, has an embossed upper and thick stitching. Also on the catwalk is the boat variant, embellished with knotted leather laces and a tongue finished with decorated fringes.
At a time when brands have lost touch with their consumers, Prada aims to re-establish a direct link with its customers. It does so by renouncing artifice - an exercise in style that is often refined but sometimes distant - to bring intimate fashion, rooted in the most authentic Italian tradition, back to the centre. A solution to restore value to the product and offer the customer a possible definition of contemporary luxury.
