Pool floats, sunshades, tents and volleyballs pop up amid stylized sand dunes at the house’s Rodeo Drive ephemeral installation
Words by ELIZABETH VARNELL
As our collective reemergence continues, Prada is luring us to the sandy dunes and candy-colored lifeguard stands of coastal beaches with a curated collection of terry looks, wicker bags, minimalist crocheted tunics and all the requisite athletic accoutrements including racquets and frisbees. Coast, the aptly named Los Angeles installation, open through July 4 at the Italian house’s Beverly Hills boutique, includes a trove of open-air essentials such as towels, cushions, and metal lunch sets complete with sandwich boxes and water bottles, but also technicolor volleyballs and surfboards paired with covers made from its trademark nylon. The capsule joins the brand’s spring/summer ready-to-wear debut collection from its new partnership between creative co-directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons. After a year of staying in, the vibrant ephemeral setting offers a place to relax in the sand — minus the UV rays — though there are plenty of terrycloth bucket hats to block them.
Paired with marine striped designs, stretch drill oversized minidresses with macro logos, white T-shirts spread with crystals and chiffon slip dresses sewn with sequins, French sound artist Frédéric Sanchez’s warm-weather soundtrack reverberates throughout the in-store installation. The downloadable Spotify playlist veers broadly from moody and languid to upbeat and pulsing to plaintive and soulful with selections from Jonathan Bree, Tame Impala, Air, Underworld, Julie London, Liquid and the Ronettes. Men’s bright bucket hats crafted from regenerated nylon, Bermuda shorts, sweatshirts, printed belt bags and cotton bowling shirts beckon amid Brian Wilson vocals from his reimagined rendition of Gershwin’s “Summertime” aria.
The boldly versatile collection proposes a summer of reconnecting through outdoor sports and gatherings. Cotton drill and woven straw shopping bags are large enough for multi-course picnics, while mini terry bags house bare essentials. Two-tone wooden ping pong paddles spark leisurely rallies or all-out competitions — depending on the players. Bright volleyballs, ready to sail across Santa Monica’s beach courts, rekindle a Southland summer rite. Skateboard decks printed with Prada’s distinct abstract florals, primed for the thoroughfares of Venice and Santa Cruz, give new meaning to street style. 343 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-278-8661.
Feature image: PRADA OUTDOOR COAST in Beverly Hills.
June 16, 2021
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