“Get Into Those Nasty Boots!”: Dara Takes Us to Prada FW26

All photos courtesy of Dara.

Late start today, thank god. It’s Prada day, or what this entire four-week fashion showdown hinges upon according to anyone who’s anyone. We’re curious what Raf and Mrs. Prada have cooked up. The men’s collection shown last month is always a good hint. The set was similar, with corrugated cardboard cutout living rooms stacked on top of each other. Surreal domesticity. Fireplaces floating in space. We got to the showspace early to see if we could catch a glimpse of Sarah Pidgeon, TV’s Carolyne Besette Kennedy. That iconic New York bird, in more ways than one. Unfortunately, I stepped on someone’s toe right as we were taking her picture because the press had descended upon the K-pop goddess Karina. Chaos! Madness! Fashion!

Then, the shock of the season. Empty chairs in the row across. Who could it be? None other than Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan swooping in at the last second. On the runway, even more thrilling, the girls charged down so fast you could barely see who was who, until she showed up again! Was that Bella Hadid? Wait, yes, and there she goes again! And again! And AGAIN! The show only included 15 models and they changed in record time, un-peeling a layer each time they reappeared on the runway. Sweaters and jackets over coats, and then those stripped away to reveal zip-up dresses which revealed the cutest little underpinnings. Obsessed with the boxer shorts bloomer situations. Also: get into those nasty jacquard boots. What the hell? So good. We jumped back into the stampede to get backstage and got into the Prada pieces. Arrivederci!

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Arthur Jafa.

Sarah Pidgeon.

Charli D’Amelio.

Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, and  (background) Interview’s social media editor Julian Ribeiro.

Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons.

Raf Simons.

Zoey Deutch.

Miuccia Prada and ATEEZ.