Prada Gave Her the Winning Hand

My husband took one look at my Prada Comic bag and started making fun of it.

Apparently, the woman on the front looked like an angry elf.

Fair.

Then we noticed the Ace of Spades in her hand.

And suddenly she did not look angry at all.

She looked like she already knew she won, everyone else was still playing, and she had absolutely no intention of explaining it to them.

Honestly, I liked her even more.

And that attitude is actually pretty close to the point of Prada’s Spring 2018 Comic collection.

Miuccia Prada conceived the collection around the idea of “women drawn by women.” Rather than using random comic-book graphics, Prada invited female illustrators including Brigid Elva, Joëlle Jones, Stellar Leuna, Giuliana Maldini, Natsume Ono, Emma Ríos, Trina Robbins and Fiona Staples, while also incorporating archival work from pioneering comic artist Tarpé Mills, creator of the groundbreaking female heroine Miss Fury.

Why?

Because Miuccia was interested in who gets to define women visually.

For decades, women in comics, advertising and fashion were so often drawn through a male point of view. Prada flipped the script and put women in control of the pencil.

The result was a collection filled with women who were not especially interested in looking sweet, agreeable or decorative.

They looked powerful.

Complicated.

A little rebellious.

And like they might know something you do not.

Which brings me back to my girl with the Ace.

She is not smiling politely. She is not announcing that she has the winning hand.

She is just holding it.

That is what makes the bag so good.

It is also why the collection feels strangely current today. Fashion has moved away from the idea that every luxury bag needs to be black, beige, quiet and universally approved.

Sometimes the best piece in your closet is the one with a little personality.

The one someone laughs at.

Then ask about.

Then it learns that the bag has an entire story behind it.

So yes, in our house she may forever be known as the angry elf.

But I think she is really just a woman holding the Ace of Spades while everyone else is still figuring out the game.

Does everyone else know she won?

Maybe.

Does she care?

Not even a little bit.