Prada Will Outlive the Apocalypse

ABOVE: A STILL FROM PRADA’S PARALLEL UNIVERSES CAMPAIGN FEATURING THE “DIXIE” SUNGLASSES.

Virtual fashion is a novel idea, especially for those who view fashion as a means to an end (a source of warmth, a shield against certain elements, a necessary evil in the name of public decency, etc.). Prada, however, is determined to lead fashion experimentation and exploration into the digital 21st century with its new web-series, “Parallel Universes,” a collaboration between Prada and Armenian-born, Paris-based graphic designer and illustrator, Vahram Muratyan. The illustrator, best known for his book, Paris vs New York, a graphic comparison of the two metropolises, designed several gifs featuring accessories from Prada’s Spring 2012 collection—though not in the role in which you would expect.

Murtyan creates “a virtual road paved with Prada SS12 accessories:” Men’s “Rocket” shoes function as the earrings of a woman, who drives along the frame of a pair of “Dixie” sunglasses, passing a golfer about to take a swing on a hill consisting of a pair of “Teddy” sunglasses.  The concept behind this series? To unite the “parallel universes” of Prada’s creative process—the accessories themselves, and the accesories as part of a customer’s lifestyle. Prada will publish a new gif every day for the next few days on their website.