Avant-garde approach

Prada Invites – as the new initiative is called – brings together the architects to manifest four radically different approaches that investigate the poetic, practical, technical and aesthetic aspects of nylon. The Paris-based Bouroullec brothers have collaborated with a wide range of companies such as Cassina, Alessi, Samsung, Flos and more; their work covers a broad stretch from jewellery to structures, and from drawings to videos and photography. But this is their first time trying their hand at fashion design, so how did they find the project?

"I've always liked the profiles of people – architects, painters and students – walking around with their art folders," says Ronan Bouroullec. "The movement of that rectangle… its clear-cut, fixed geometry contrasting with the moving bodies. This project takes that geometry and instils it in a shoulder bag, with its inside gusset, low-fastening elastic bands and eyelets, and use of a single colour, which produces a subtle graphical playfulness."

The Munich-based Grcic has won numerous design awards and has curated exhibitions such as Design Real for London's Serpentine Gallery, as well as building pavilions for the Venice and London Biennales. His style is pared down and minimal – "simplicity", as he calls it – and for this project, he used maritime inspiration for his contribution. "The key reference for my proposal is the fishing vest, representing the idea of a bag, which is what the nylon material has been primarily used for, as a garment," he explains. "My first thought was to recreate [German Fluxus artist] Joseph Beuys' famous fishing vest in Prada black nylon. Later, I worked on two models that interpret the theme in a more abstract way: Apron and Hood."