In June, Prada SS18 Men’s collection was inspired and illustrated by different comics. At that time the audience was introduced to Prada’s graphic commissions! Panels by longtime house collaborator James Jean and Belgian graphic artist Ollie Schrauwen were painted over floor, wall, and roof. Even the outlines of the vaults were emphasized with comics-inspired black borders. “We asked them to do stories that wouldn’t be too superhero, but to push the human point,” said Mrs. Prada after the Men’s Fashion Week.

On September 21, 2017, the latest SS18 Women’s show took on the same space, only now immersed in depictions of women drawn by women! For the new graphic elements, Prada collaborated with eight visionary artists, from all over the world!

Within this diversified space, drawn lines expand, meeting contemporary with classic comic design and collaging blatant activism with more understated subversion that test fixed categories. Most controversial was the return of the divisive “00s baguette” bag, which is enjoying an unlikely resurgence alongside this season! Women’s fashion inherently tries to evaluate the depiction of femininity and feminism, looking outside itself to tell its own story. This new narrative works to find intersections between existing arcs, and to offer new possibilities and visions.

Especially for this SS18 fashion show, Prada made that collaboration with female visionary artists from all around the world. Spanning the fast-growing generation spectrum, each of whom has illustrated women in a uniquely empowering way.

Brigid Elva, British illustrator, whose work has appeared in “The Chapess”, “The New York Times” and many other publications. She is the author of the comic book ‘Coma Deep’ and self-published works ‘Hex’, ‘ROOM’ and ‘Field Notes’, as well as various ongoing projects.

Joëlle Jones is an Eisner nominated artist currently living and working in Los Angeles, US. During her studies,  she has contributed to a wide range of projects! Jones has done illustrations for brands as Boom! Studios, The New York Times, Vertigo and More!. And her upcoming project will be drawing Batman for DC!

Stellar Leuna is an exhibiting artist and illustrator from Sydney, Australia. Well known for her her drawings of punk rock femme fatale, her obsession with occultism, counter culture and 18th century Romanticism. The artist has evolved her practice to print publications, street-wear apparel design, online editorials and large-scale murals for the likes of VANS, The Sydney Opera House, and Penguin Random House.

Giuliana Maldini, an eclectic Italian artist, works in various fields: from painting to sculpture and from photography to writing, but above all as a humorist. She was the first Italian woman, who published a book of cartoons on the female condition in 1978. She has worked with various periodicals including Linus, Amica, Noi donne, Il Male, La Smemoranda, and some other pharmaceutical companies.

Tarpé Mills was a comic artist, who changed her name from June Mills, believing that the readers of her action-filled comics would be disappointed if they found out that a woman created them. The artist passed away in 1988 in New York. “Miss Fury” is the first female action comic strip created by a woman. Miss Fury was a sexy, brutal, madcap adventure strip that enjoyed a large male audience.

Natsume Ono is a Japanese manga artist, who made her debut in 2003 with “LA QUINTA CAMERA”. She quickly attracted attention with her distinctive drawing, unique atmosphere, and individual style as if seeing movies. Many of her creations are animated or made into dramas.

Emma Ríos is a cartoonist who lives and works in Spain. Started her career with small press publishers, when worked for Boom!. She returned to creator-owned productions in 2013, thanks to Image Comics, where she just published I.D., a solo graphic novel, and co-edited the ISLAND magazine with Brandon Graham. Emma Ríos was three times nominated for Eisner Awards!

Trina Robbins started her career in 1966, when she drew comics for the East Village Other, New York’s iconic underground newspaper. After four years she produced the very first all-woman coming book “It Ain’t me, Babe”. And in 2017 she was inducted into the Wizard World Hall of Legends, and at the San Diego comic convention she received the Eisner award for editing the two-volume reprint collection of the complete “Wimmin’s Comix”.

Fiona Staples is a comic book artist, and co-creator of the bestselling comic series, “Saga”, written by Brian K. Vaughan. Saga has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and received a Hugo, and multiple Eisner awards! The artist lives and works in Calgary, Canada.