Pradasphere

Pradasphere is a collection of archival objects arranged to reveal the complex obsessions of one of the world`s most influential brands. From across diverse fields of creative and cultural activity emerge core ideas - beauty, taste, embellishment, gender, vanity and power - that are repeatedly interrogated. At once an aesthetic journey and a type of critique enacted through everyday objects, Pradasphere is also a celebration of exquisite craftsmanship, a paean to the rare, and a wholehearted endorsement of the stylistic iconoclast. ~ Pradasphere PR

 

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Prada. What to say? Its a magical word for a magical world of contradictions and endless elaborations, "where idealism meets vanity, intelligence meets passion, fashion meets fiction."

Pradasphere (held at Harrods from May 2) is a collection of everything Prada, made in decades of hard, crazy work full of inspiration from fashion, art, architecture, film, music - the world. It is a crazy universe where anything is possible and nothing is impossible. Everything is an inspiration and the world is your oyster. Have you ever seen anything from Prada that you didn`t like? At least you admired it, its passion for creating, craftsmanship or quirkiness. All in all, you can`t get past Prada without some reaction. Like it or not, it leaves a mark on you. 

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The centrepiece of Pradasphere comprises six towering showcases dedicated to the central themes that have distinguished the work of Prada. The displays combine ensembles from multiple collections to demonstrate the recurrent concepts present in the products. In addition, the exhibition includes: heritage items from the Prada archives; shoes and bags from past collections organised by theme; examples of exquisite fabrics and materials; a Prada history wall that links the design collections with all of the extracurricular projects, from Fondazione Prada to Luna Rossa; a screening room presenting short films from directors such as Roman Polanski, Wes Anderson, Ridley Scott, and Yang Fudong; architectural projects from Rem Koolhaas/oma and Herzog & de Meuron; and a library of publications, both physical and digital.

A private lounge is adjacent to the exhibition space. The walls and ceiling of the intimate room are wrapped entirely in deep green velvet that matches the Clover Leaf sofas—a revival of Verner Panton’s modern classic reproduced exclusively for Prada—that furnish the space. The contrast created between the black-and-white carpeted floor and the velvet-covered walls adds to the aura of contemporary luxury.

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Harrods’ windows represent Prada’s multifaceted identity. Prada’s design philosophy, is evident in the recurrent themes and motifs combined in each window. The windows also reference Prada’s contributions to popular culture, art, architecture, and film, revealing the complexity of the company’s approach to fashion.

Directly alongside the Pradasphere exhibition, is the Marchesi café, patisserie, and restaurant.

It would be amazing and a dream come true to be able to visit this exhibit and to see the work of one of the most influential and amazing designers in the world. I know I would probably have a heart attack right there and would want to buy it all, but it would totally be worth it. It would be an honor to witness this art in person.