retro

Models took a jaunty, afternoon stroll through the Hippodrome d’Auteuil in Paris for the Miu Miu Resort 2020 show- one that conjured up a playful combination of ’40s and ’70s fashions that delighted me with its whimsical, retro styling and grandma-chic details. I’m talking collars of the oversized and dramatic variety, as well as the vintage-inspired lace variety paired with utterly charming puff sleeves in eye-catching colors that contrast with the relatively tame shades of the overall outfit. I can’t emphasize this enough- I’m obsessed.

Pretty pink dresses and pointed collars were embellished in an adorable cat print in the Miu Miu Spring 2010 show- one of the first fashion shows I fell in love with. (Image: Marcio Madeira via Vogue.com)

Miu Miu has always been one of my favorite brands to follow through the seasons because of Miuccia’s playful use of prints and the decidedly sweeter, purer silhouettes and details. In fact, I still remember the Miu Miu Spring 2010 show- a collection that also made clever use of statement collars- as being one of the first to open the door to the fashion world for me. It was pretty and pink and precious, with cats and birds and reclining, nude ladies splashed across the different outfits in a way that made everything feel a little bit magical. Looking back on this collection brought back so many fond memories of sinking hours into watching bootleg streams of the shows online, while scrolling through my Tumblr feed reblogging all of my favorite looks. And the models too- Hanne Gaby, Lindsey Wixson, and Lara Stone were among the famous faces to light up the runway. It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 10 years (I’m feeling old!).

Anyways, if my early taste in runway shows would be any indication of my lifelong sense of style, I would never cease to love the darling, vintage feel of a good collar- the lacier, the better. My obsession with a statement sleeve came later, and is something I’m finally accepting as a genuine part of my sense of style. Needless to say, I would wear most anything in the Miu Miu Resort 2020 collection, floppy hats and all.

The equestrian theme of the venue bled into the collection in the form of classic, jockey stripes and horse-related prints that play into Miuccia’s theme of fooling around with the notion of conservatism. And while the collars and puff sleeves were the standout details for me, it’s definitely hard to ignore the platform sneakers and wedge sandals paired with all manner of colorful socks, which will most likely prove to be a popular trend in coming seasons, paired with the ridiculous spectacle of multiple, stacked hats of clashing styles. The hats only serve to bolster the juxtaposition of old conservatism vs. youthful fun.

While dramatic, oversized collars might be a novelty for fashionistas in the coming seasons, I can’t help but feel that this collection validates my recent love of vintage, lacy blouses and shirts with ridiculous sleeves. And as someone who has, in the past, had trouble nailing down a signature aesthetic, it feels good to know that I might be getting close, and that my taste in vintage, eccentric styles won’t be shunned by the fashion world at large. It might even be celebrated.

Check out my favorite looks from the collection below:

Miu Miu Resort 2020 shorts with purple shirt puff sleeves and dramatic collar fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 sparkly blue minidress with black puff sleeves fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 dress pants with puff sleeve top with oversized collar fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 puff sleeve jacket with white blouse with dramatic collar and shorts runway fashion the young ecelctic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 embellished collar shirt and navy blue suit fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 sparkly white minidress with puff sleeves runway fashion the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 black coat with white collar fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 black midi dress with purple puff sleeves and printed collar fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 black print midi dress with large white collar fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 black midi dress with lace collar fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 pleated midi dress with yellow embellished puff sleeves fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 leather shorts with white blouse and oversized retro collar fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 long skirt with beige shirt large retro collar and black puff sleeves runway fashion the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 brown print dress with retro collar fashion runway the young eclectic

Miu Miu Resort 2020 white embellished midi dress with retro collar fashion runway the young eclectic

Cover photo and all photos in gallery are by Giovanni Giannani for WWD.com.

Am I aware that it’s 2019? Yes, painfully so. Trust me when I say that writing about a collection from four years ago was not on my agenda tonight. I was preparing to do a write-up on the Prada Resort 2020 collection when memories of the Prada Fall 2015 collection came crashing to the surface of my mind, causing me to seek it out again and relive the joy of discovering this gem.

A sweet matching shirt and pants set featuring sleek, modern materials and classic, ’60s silhouettes. (Photo:
Monica Feudi / FeudiGuaineri.com via Vogue.com)

When I saw the debut of this collection, I was in awe of how fresh and innovative it felt. The smooth, plushness of the jersey knits; the the blown-up print that resembles chromosomes; the sweet, yet cold pastels that defied the normally-morose color code of winter; the cheeky bits of fur; the classic tweed; those sneakers that looked like leather socks; those gloves that extended up into the sleeves of the dresses. Every detail just built on the next to create a look that I had never seen before. Even now, looking back on it, I’m amazed and delighted anew by what this collection accomplished.

Playful in its concept and execution, this poppy collection dared to ask the question of whether or not artificial beauty (created through genetic modification and surgeries) is less authentic than natural beauty by combining natural elements like ostrich with less-than-natural elements, like the blown-up, science-y print comprised of an image of genetically-modified ostrich.

But the innovative clashing of concepts didn’t stop with natural vs. artificial- The modern materials, acid-toned colors, and lab-like atmosphere also abutted the classic and preppy, ’60s silhouettes and timeless tweed, creating a retro-futurism vibe that I can’t get enough of. All of the long-limbed girls on this runway could have been alien replicas of humans, or a robotic army of perfect women from some dystopian future- the narrative possibilities of this collection were nearly endless, which is why it has managed to stick with me through the years.

I remember carefully pulling the ads for the collection out of my well-worn copies of Vogue and hanging them on my dorm room wall so that I could stare at them when I was trying to sleep, or procrastinating on my homework. Sometimes I think it’s strange how our minds choose what to hold onto and what to cast out, as time renders things useless or no longer relevant, but I’m glad my neurons decided to keep this collection nestled inside me, and something tells me that this collection will always be one of my all-time favorites.

Check out some of the best looks from the collection below: