The Runway, a show for reflection?

Marianieves Tejeda

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Their most recent move was the reverse runway for the presentation of their Fall-Winter 2026 collection. On this occasion, the experience changed radically: this time, it was the attendees who paraded under the silent and critical gaze of the models.

However, in the universe of Avavav, the collection does not speak solely through the clothes. To understand its intention, it is fundamental to analyze the integral storytelling: the venue, the raw lighting, the sound design, and, of course, styling that often embraces the grotesque.

Here, makeup and hair do not seek conventional beauty but function as extensions of a discourse that questions what we consider desirable. This is the contrast in Avavav’s strategies, which stand out for using visual impact to deliver their message, while Prada prefers sobriety to center attention on the garment and the detail.

The Milanese brand presented its proposal at its usual headquarters, the Fondazione Prada in Milan. For this Fall-Winter 2026 collection, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons transformed the space into a sort of white cube, walls with clean lines and an atmosphere that eliminated any visual distraction.

Far from dictating rigid trends, Prada’s proposal connected with something much more real: the decisions we make in front of the closet every morning. What do I wear? How do I combine this? Does it work if I wear it differently?

Through layers that were removed one by one, each exit revealed new possibilities within the same ensemble. If Avavav turns us into protagonists to question the gaze of others, Prada opts for a deep reflection on how we construct our identity through clothing.

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Two apparently opposite strategies that, nevertheless, converge at the same point: the fashion show has ceased to be solely an exhibition or sales platform. Today, the runway functions as a space for positioning.

It can be provocation or it can be introspection, but in both cases, it is taking a stand. In a system saturated with stimuli and fleeting images, fashion once again reclaims something deeper: its capacity to generate questions, cause discomfort, and construct discourses.