The flip flops of the Miu Miu show, an absolute fashion paradox?

What makes a style striking and memorable? Not always in clothes that would obviously match, but rather that might surprise or seem totally unlikely on their own. This can involve the combination of seemingly opposing registers of style (formal and informal, for example), unexpected color contrasts or even hybrid pieces. And in this Miuccia Prada excels, who has just illustrated with her latest Miu Miu spring-summer 2023 fashion show, presented at the Palais d’Iéna in Paris on October 4, 2022, where mainly wandering: a flip-flop.

The thong boot, the fashion paradox of the Miu Miu Spring / Summer 2023 fashion show

Why not ? Indeed, it can be tempting to wear boots at any time of the year, but in the summer you risk choking your feet, for example. This could appear as the rationale for this creation that rises just above the ankle, or even up to the calf depending on the model, leaving the foot almost bare. But fashion is rarely rational, and maybe that’s why we love it too.

Questioning the utilitarian dimension of clothes by using them against a purpose

used to create ugly shoes which surprises the public before being adopted by the more adventurous fashionistas, and ultimately inspiring mainstream fashion, Miuccia Prada has therefore struck once again in ugly beauty. And it is our need for rationality, for utility, that you wanted to question. This is what the designer explains in her mission statement for her show:

“It is not an easy time to create fashion. For this collection I wanted to explore the purpose of fashion, its raison d’etre. Its usefulness in today’s society and culture. “

After normcore, performcore

And it was palpable from the first glance: a gray shirt worn over a beige sweater, worn over a gray shirt, worn over a white shirt. Such an overlap of bases becomes absurd, useless. Other garments followed, deceptively basic, attached to the body with knots, clasps, laces, and other seat belts full of pockets. Technical details from the utilitarian dressing room (also called work clothing) but which here become decorative, performing. ” In a post-normcore world, get ready for the performancecore also dares to summarize the rowing United States. This fashion paradox is also crystallized in this pair of thong boots.

This Miu Miu spring-summer 2023 collection was also available in a sober and anti-ostentatious palette. : faded denim, navy blue sweaters (unzipped on the back), faded leathers and lots of black. Even the most richly embroidered pieces remained in pastel tones. Everything was transported from a booth marked by the presence of Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and above all the English artist FKA twigs (my absolute idol) who had the honor of closing the show. This happened upon reading the soundtrack of a poem by the Chinese-born and Berlin-based artist Shuang Li. He also designed the immersive scenography: sharks bouncing between wind turbines, planets and walls. Absurd, yes, that’s the point. A bit like the thong boot.

Front page photo credit: Instagram screenshot.