LA FLOR DE MI SECRETO II: PRADA
by Marko.
With all the (in certain cases justified) babble about the line between the public and private, this seems to be more about intimacy, or in Prada’s case: fantasy, in all its unnerving, seemingly organic form. Not daydreaming but fantasy. Not simply in terms of what is disclosed and what not, more in terms of what resists to be grasped: the secret of him or her is already a secret for her or him. Prada’s girl not being able to reach behind her own back, the back of her devious, creative mind, that is. Beyond control. Not transparent to herself. And she wears her sexual fantasies on her dress (take a closer look) – so it’s all out there, but still, something resists. No secret, simply the fact that you’re not transparent to yourself. We all get the feeling that disclosing everything can even deepen the secret. Of Serge’s secret world. Of her world. Just ask yourself how you would react if somebody told you what you objectively are. »Is this really me?« Feeling completely detached from yourself.
Prada Spring 08
The key to handling the secret behind the curtain is ambiguity. First there is ambiguity that transforms itself into, is nothing but a play of opposites. There is certainly something that connects Prada and Balenciaga, not just a play of opposites (although Prada is moving away from that, hopefully). It is in fact the setting of their shows. On the one hand a seemingly Gainsbourg inspired nook and on the other the wildly imaginative room at Prada. They both share two things: a certain inwardness or move towards intimacy in terms of shelter or shade. But there is no secret in this place, no secrecy to it also. It is just an empty space »for thyself«, nothing less, just a blank canvas one can fill with fantasy. Draw on the walls, breathe. So, if fantasy is needed now, it is because something collapsed or is in the process of collapsing, like an old approach. Fantasy teaches you to desire (anew, something else) or to put it more succinctly: what to desire, also, in a way, how to fantasize. And from this perspective, one can see that designers like Prada are indeed trying to move forward, Prada herself talking about »new creativity« (we could say: playfulness), reaching for art nouveau because of its special resonance, namely in the new, in the break.
Prada Spring 08
Notice the highly sexual scenes on the first dress. I wanted to include an actress’s monologue from Fassbinder’s Third Generation, but it was too provocative. So, see the movie, and accuse me of being pudique.
Marko, you sly little pup for winkling out Miuccia’s reference! I adore that you make the connections - as you may have inferred from some of my posts, I subscribe to the idea that life is nothing BUT connections. And unlike some others, I will never tell you to put down the books, my dear. Keep reading, studying, growing and thriving.
Cheers!
Thanks, Visione! Best and kindest regards…