Amid the glitz and glamour of Paris Fashion Week, Miuccia Prada shines the spotlight on female laborers who keep the world running behind curtains.
At a time when Paris Fashion Week is dominated by male creative directors designing for women, Miuccia Prada shines through. This season, the Prada Group heiress turned the spotlight not on beauty found in grandiosity or glamour, but in the power of the invincible and the unsung.
Prada, on Oct. 6, unveiled a collection that paid tribute to working women, especially those that work quiet jobs with big impact—the housekeepers, waitresses, welders, and all types of laborers.
“In fashion, we always talk about glamour and rich people, but we have to recognize also that life is very different,” she told reporters after the show. Her brand described the collection as “a consideration of the work of women—their challenges, adversity, experience.” It embodies work as an expression of effort, care, love, and independence.
At the heart of it all is the apron—“a universal symbol of work,” according to Prada. “The apron is my favorite piece of clothing, it is something I have been obsessed with, from before even my earliest collections, and it has always been present in Miu Miu,” Prada said in a separate statement. “This is the first time we have made it the focus of a collection. The apron fascinates me as an emblem. It symbolizes women, from factories through to serving to the home. It is about protection and care—for me, it is a symbol of the effort and hardship of women.”
Everything at the Miu Miu Spring 2026 runway show reflected the understated beauty of women in the labor force. Prada, for one, filled the Palais d’léna with neon Formica tables and pink rubberized floors to resemble the cafeteria of a factory, and a vibrant one at that.
66 looks took over the runway, each reimagined the humble apron into a chic and elegant battle shield. The garment jumped from one look to another, proving how it can be utilitarian and, at the same time, decorative.
Prada drew inspiration from the work of photographers Dorothea Lange and Helga Paris, which documented domestic life. The designer admitted that translating it to fashion was difficult, “but I use the instrument I have,” she remarked.
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German actress Sandra Hüller opened the show with a blue cotton housekeeper apron worn over a utility romper with tonal Miu Miu lettering. This was followed by aprons layered over leather outerwear and knitted tops, as well as bejeweled versions styled over patterned swimwear.
Prada recast the industrial workwear in leather, silk, and lace, paired with oversized polos and dazzling mini dresses in various shapes and sizes. Large ruffles brought powerful style to the humble garment, as well as balance with jersey fabric. Like every season, Prada made underwear visible but this time, through pink pastel apron frocks. Floral prints brought more life to 1970s-style pinafore dresses.
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Defining ccessories were key to the collection that served as an ode to today’s resilient workers. Clasped belts, scarves, belt-like necklaces, sturdy leather gloves, and multi-pocketed bags spoke of women’s endurance and devotion to keep the world running, even behind curtains.
Watch the full Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2026 show below:
