Miu Miu girls are all grown up at FW25 Welcome back, ugly chic

Miuccia Prada doesn’t like the internet, but the internet loves Miuccia Prada. And so, everything the designer rejects in her latest collections for Prada and Miu Miu—one at Milan and the other at Paris Fashion Week—inevitably ends up riding the powerful waves of the algorithm. Miu Miu girls love stealing clothes from their grandmothers, rummaging through dusty city market stalls, and, above all, looking much older than they actually are. To do so, they buy large golden earrings, silver brooches, 1920s wool hats, and pastel-colored knee-high socks. They wear leather sneakers, heels with socks, pencil skirts, and gray wool suits. At FW25, presented just a few hours ago in Paris, Miu Miu showcased a runway show packed with nostalgia as always, except this time, the old completely took over, leaving little room for youth. Teased hair, fur collars, and a sugar-paste color palette didn’t just throw the brand into the ‘20s and ‘60s, from which many designs of the new collection draw inspiration, but rather into the ‘90s. When Miu Miu, freshly launched as the younger sister of Prada, witnessed the rise of ugly chic by Miuccia Prada. The unmistakable symbol of Miu Miu’s return to aesthetics today was injected into the set’s walls, which were completely wrapped in a magnificent acid yellow.

Faced with this triumph of delightfully demodé looks, silhouettes borrowed from grandma’s wardrobe, and colors taken from an old-fashioned pastry shop, it’s natural to wonder why Miu Miu continues to break sales records (in 2024, the brand achieved a 93% increase in sales) and why it appeals so much to younger generations. The answer can be found in the show’s front row, where A$AP Rocky, freshly acquitted, flaunts his full Miu Miu look in front of the press. Like a suit revealing a pointed bra underneath, Miu Miu’s vintage soul offers the perfect antidote to banality. After all, what could be more original than a rapper dressed in gentleman clothing, right? Moreover, even though Miuccia Prada doesn’t like algorithms or social media, it’s clear that she loves women: the feminine image she presents each season (with Raf Simons in Milan, alone in Paris) has always reflected society’s needs. Since its inception, Miu Miu has offered alternative interpretations of sensuality based on an idea of comfort and intellect that today’s world is crazy about. Especially for women who want to have fun with their wardrobe without compromising their careers, who know how to be taken seriously yet also seduce, who can read an entire novel in just a few hours but also spend a whole day at the tattoo parlor.