When Miuccia Prada was collating her research and inspirations for the Miu Miu S/S12 collection did a photograph of Backstreet Boys...
When Miuccia Prada was collating her research and inspirations for the Miu Miu S/S12 collection did a photograph of Backstreet Boys circa 1990 slip in? Perhaps it was Walter De Maria’s Silver Portrait of Dorian Gray, which was shown in Venice this year and until recently hung in Prada’s Milan home, that influenced her? Or maybe it was just a practical decision to overcome that dreaded in-between grow out stage? If you don’t have a clue what we’re talking about; we’re referring to the unusual hairstyle channelled by Miu Miu’s S/S12 catwalk models, commonly known as “curtains”. Whilst in interior design curtains are used for functionality (to keep out the cold) and decoratively (to frame windows), maybe Prada saw the centre-parting fringe hairdo as a way to ornately frame her models’ faces?
Stylistically it may be a bizarre choice but, teamed with her folksy collection full of quirky detailing (note the leather intaglio mules and boots), mirroring her drawstring off-the-shoulder capes and coats and set next to a slick of oxblood eyeshadow, Prada's boy band curtains hairstyle somehow worked. From the woman who can bring anything back on trend – for A/W10 pre-hippie 60s, for S/S11 an all-star Americana and for A/W11 a 40s revival – for S/S12 Backstreet's back, alright. (Coincidentally, the Backstreet Boys also begin their European Tour in Spring 2012.)
Text and curation by Lucia Davies
Margot Bowman is an illustrator, designer and DJ living in London. She is the Creative Director of The Estethetica Review, a fashion publication focusing on ethical fashion published biannually in conjunction with the British Fashion Council. Lucia Davies is the AnOther Editorial Assistant. She has also contributed to titles that include Dazed & Confused, The Independent, It's Nice That, Nowness and Twin Magazine.
