Prada, Miu Miu present parallel holiday universes

By AMIRAH KEATON

Italian fashion brands Prada and Miu Miu are tackling the same themes with different stars.

The pair’s respective holiday releases offer separate takes on individuality this season. Pushed live within weeks of one another, a comparison of both campaigns subtly reveals what each house does best.

A moment with Miu Miu

Miu Miu Holiday 2023 stars British actress Emma Corrin, seen keeping her own company in a new video.

For the branded assignment, the talent channels a bit of the mystery she has become known for through playing parts such as Princess Diana in Netflix’s The Crown.

In a 45-second slot, the main character occupies a private, carpeted space, which the luxury label suggests is open to infinite possibilities.

Appearing “at home,” Ms. Corrin is shown solo, though seemingly aware of the camera’s presence as she carries on with various activities, sorting through trunks and throwing game pieces from the floor.

Her self-assured boredom shines in shots snapped by American photographer Zoë Ghertner and art directed by London-based creative Edward Quarmby.

Spotted among frames, Miu Miu has announced a collaboration with American equipment manufacturer Marshall Electronics, the partnership procuring a joint line of headphones for For Holiday 2023.

Instant film company Polaroid also teamed up with the brand, creating cameras and matching, branded straps for the effort.

In Miu Miu’s expression, the protagonist of the second-to-last season of Netflix’s The Crown has here been given the role of one comfortable in their own skin, dressed in garments from the brand’s holiday collection.

Russian fashion expert Lotta Volkova styles the formal staples, from cardigan jackets and pencil skirts to crystal embroidery and layered looks, all of which have been reinterpreted.

“Cardigan jackets and micro-mini or knee-length pencil skirts are worn over lingerie,” said the brand. “Unlikely juxtapositions continue to surprise.”

All in all, Ms. Corrin’s attitude and outfit intend to imply that the young starlet could decide to do anything with her personal time, resting on a limitless amount of freedom.

Prada launches into “Privatesphere”

Prada’s campaign approaches some of the same concepts. Privatesphere titles its holiday delivery involving brand ambassadors.

Each possessing global appeal, actors Maya Hawke, Damson Idris, Louis Partridge and Kim Tae-Ri center a series of pods floating through fictitious, celestial spaces, the imaginative content shot by Dutch-born Willy Vanderperre.

The excerpt also pushes the bounds of the imagination, but in different ways.

Whereas much of Miu Miu’s assets and collections are geared toward the here and now, instilling modern updates to classic silhouettes, Prada’s marketing is futuristic at first glance and, upon a closer look, aligns more strictly with brand codes.

This difference checks out, considering the time that the flagship brand has had to develop signatures: Prada was established in 1913, while Miu Miu’s story starts in 1992.

With nearly a century between both brands, the difference in years remains the primary point of characterization when it comes to words most readily associated with either party, with Prada evoking visions of a certain sophistication and intellectualism (see story).

Meanwhile, Miu Miu is described as Prada’s fun, less complicated, occasionally moody younger sibling, or as Miuccia Prada once put it, “Miu Miu is much more naive.”

The summaries seem to ring true here, as Privatesphere takes a loftier approach grounded in reminders of the maison’s history.

For instance, the checked marble floor displayed across imagery nods to identical treatments that graced the ground of the historic Prada boutique established in Milan in its founding year.

Furthermore, the label’s front-runners do not play characters per se. What the audience sees is what they get — the band plays themselves, inhabiting their own bubbles as Prada “imagines the holiday season through the fantasy of a personal voyage.”

It is this final detail where the crossover between Prada and Miu Miu’s holiday affects surfaces. Ultimately, both Privatesphere and its contemporary counterpart complement each other.

Sharing in the objective of discovery, whether of self, one’s surroundings or both, and the cultivation of the space necessary to do so, these synergies lend insight to Prada and Miu Miu’s strengths and unique positioning, as two of the most popular global luxury brands continue to rise to prominence (see story).

This article originally appeared on LuxuryDaily.com. Luxury Portfolio is pleased to bring you the latest trends and insider takes through our exclusive partnership with the go-to destination for luxury news. Subscribe today.