Posted on January 24 2026
Image: Armando Grillo / gorunway.com
An intensity of distress in the air, a contemporary take on corporate-esque workwear took the runway for Prada’s Menswear AW26 runway collection. Shown against a fuzzy psychedelic rock soundscape, the laid-back menswear edit embodies the current state of society’s climate- a surrender to the unpredictable.
The collection encourages us to rethink inheritance: cuffs were the statement of the show and have piqued the interest of many. Viral Prada cuff content is popping up on social media feeds around the world, as the brand poses a challenge to society’s take on formality.
There is a movement from the previously utilitarian meaning of cuffs- once designed as a feature to keep shirts from shifting, the new version erases this. Unbuttoned and ridden with stains, clean and fitted cuffs no longer represent status- perhaps a deeper acknowledgement and response to recession.
Irony in garment durability comes to question here, as luxury brands have been intentionally designing pieces that reflect wear and tear. Is the erasure of functionality a symbol of what’s happening in the world? AI has taken the place of many jobs, and after Covid many people transitioned to work at home. Perhaps, some are now returning to the office with dread, and traditional work roles are being redefined. With the unbuttoning and folding of cuffs, this reflects a shift in the new generation- one that won’t inherit stable jobs. Permanence feels fictional in a modern world of fast-paced change.
Image: Vogue Runway
Alongside cuffs, capelet coverings laid atop the shoulders amidst elongated silhouettes of mid-length trench coats. Mid-brimmed floppy hats and feminine tanks worn as sleepwear in times past dissolved gender roles. Antiquity and preservation were themes in this show. Particularly reminiscent of earlier 2000s colorways, a bright mossy green nylon jacket appeared up as a nod to archival Prada.
Image: Vogue Runway
Furthermore, with a shift towards secondhand, stained garments take on a new meaning. A signifier from the top of the fashion chain, that it’s acceptable- and even cool, to dress ironically.
This runway was soft- stripped of authority. A softer essence surrounds the collection, as structures loosen, both in functionality and gender. It feels like Prada has not taken on a mood of rebellion with this collection, but rather one of exhaustion the brand continues to observe in the world around them. The collection clears the air for a new take on fashion’s future.
Image: Vogue Runway
From micro perspectives to macro, this collection touched on the history of Prada itself, the fashion industry and society as a whole.