After Making Nylon Luxe, Prada Returns to Its Rugged Roots
Prada's Re-Nylon collection is tough in every sense of the word. Obviously, Prada's repurposed nylon accessories are nice to look at. Whether it be a hike-ready backpack or a bucket hat, Prada's ripstop offerings are effortlessly fashionable with tonal colorways and fuss-free silhouettes that avoid clunkiness of traditional hiking gear.
Prada's latest Re-Nylon campaign highlights both the beauty and durability of Prada's pieces in non-fashion settings.
That Prada's high-end bags are right at home out in nature is a testament to the unexpected practicality of Prada’s luxe designs, an uncommon element in the world of luxury fashion.
Now, it might sound asinine to drop $2,200 on a hiking backpack, but Prada's Re-Nylon collection is durable enough to make it a little less implausible.
Nylon is a strong material as is, and Prada’s regenerated nylon, made of ECONYL, is formed from recycled plastic collected from oceans. Its diagonal weave construction helps prevent tearing and also enhances water repellency.
Re-Nylon is thus more forgiving of stains and scuffs than more delicate materials like cotton or suede, so if you insist on hiking or camping in luxury, Prada really is the only way to go. The brand knows this: It's even designed a pair of $1,100 “hiking shoes” that parallel both Prada's signature chicness and Re-Nylon’s alfresco aesthetic.
The intersection of luxury and the great outdoors is indeed a peculiar place, but it's not that shocking to find Prada here.
After all, the brand is the epitome of wearable luxury, offering unpretentious staple pieces that forgo logomania for toned-down silhouettes wearable beyond the runway.
See, Prada's durability is not restricted to its materials, as the brand's reputation for standard-setting stylishness is just as long-lasting.
So, while darn near every brand wants in on that outdoorsy fashion action, like SKIMS’ form-fitting collaboration with The North Face and the never-ending lineup of fashionable trail sneakers, there’s something about Prada's approachable luxury that makes it make sense even in a sea of GORE-TEX infusions and militant puffers. It's still Prada — just outside.
Now, do I think that even Prada’s Re-Nylon bags will actually be used for real-life hikes? Probably not by anyone besides the one percent or maybe Benedict Cumberbatch and Sadie Sink, who both star in Prada's new Re-Nylon documentary that focuses on ocean conservation.
In any case, though, if I'm going to trust any luxury fashion house with my hiking gear, I'm rocking with the brand doing space suits. Prada clearly knows a thing or two about a thing or two.
