PRADA S/S 2013

As much as I adore the edgier, conceptual side of high-fashion, there are times when clothes are so beautiful that there is no need for concept. Take, for example, Miuccia Prada's S/S 2013 collection - a fusion of oriental motifs, pretty plastic bows, luxe silk dresses and some seriously statement footwear.

It's often said that fashion is losing its appeal because trends continue to repeat themselves - in essence, everything worth doing has already been done. This strikes me as a defeatist attitude - trends always have, and always will repeat themselves due to the simple fact that there is only so far the imagination can stretch. The challenge that designers now face is how to take a trend that we've all seen before (in this case, the Oriental trend) and repackage it to a fresh new audience? 

Prada's answer was to do Japan in the 28th Century - the ultra-futuristic aesthetic of this collection was a complete breath of fresh air, and something that few designers explore throughout an entire collection. Although there were some timeless pieces - a white fur coat emblazoned with fire-red flowers was effortlessly chic, as were a series of silk cocktail gowns decorated with abstract floral motifs - the looks were taken into the future by Miuccia's genius take on the traditional tabi and zori footwear.

Although the footwear divided opinion, Prada managed to take a simple pair of socks and turn them into arguably the most-photographed accessories of the entire season, perfect considering that they perfectly embodied the message of the collection - fusing the traditional with the futuristic. It's also worth mentioning that the trippy Real Fantasies video that accompanied the collection was equally exquisite, contrasting hand-painting with crystal-clear photographs to create a sublime collage of art and fashion. In a time when people are becoming disheartened with high-fashion as the lines between the runway and the high-street are becoming more blurred than ever due to collaborations and diffusion ranges, Prada has inspired a glimmer of hope in those that dare to argue that the fashion industry still has more to give.