Prada unveils its latest Linea Rossa

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Oct 16, 2019

Streamlined engineering are the new buzzwords at Prada, which has unveiled its latest Linea Rossa collection, the second since its relaunch last year.
 

In a novel move, Prada rolled out its latest ideas internationally with a series of presentations in boutiques and outside events in several countries. It was all about savoir-faire meeting urban and active sportswear; not remotely athleisure, more like at-ease technological cool.
 
The actual invitation – and the collection’s name – came in over 10 languages, including Arabic, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese and English; hence Red Line, Ligne Rouge or Linha Vermelha.

In Paris, Prada showed around 40 looks on mannequins inside its Faubourg Saint-Honoré flagship, while in London it collaborated with Willow Smith, who staged an impromptu live performance, the musician and artist working the action with a raw set staged in an underground station on London’s Central Line; another Linea Rossa that runs through the UK capital.
 
The new  Fall/Winter 2019 Linea Rossa had a strong military theme – lots of khaki and battleship grey officer’s raingear, parkas and hooded trenches – all finished with the signature white on red logo strip. Mode for maneuvers both rural and urban at Linea Rossa, which includes actual active sports gear – notably bright primary color ski pants and ski-boarder jackets.
 
It would also not be Prada without lots of tough chic black, best of which were the mini hooded bolero puffers in black nylon worn over graphic anthracite leggings and chunky mountaineers sneakers. The look was protective but with plenty of panache. All made in forward-thinking fabrics – from the graphene and recycled polyester padding; conductive and reactive fabrics like Tela Tecnica Pro and seamless knits that are pH-balanced for a hyperallergic effect – reducing moisture and minimizing odors.
 
After a hiatus of over a decade, Prada relaunched Linea Rossa last year, upgrading the collection’s scientific element and positioning its price point further up the chain. Miuccia Prada first unveiled the new concept within her signature Prada runway show in Milan in 2018. The collection is not to be confused with Luna Rossa, the Prada-financed sailing yacht which last week launched its seventh attempt to win the world’s oldest sporting competition, the America’s Cup.