Miu Miu’s FW23 collection is giving gen Z office chic, but make it frazzled

By Jennifer Raymont

Published Mar 11, 2023 at 09:15 AM

Reading time: 2 minutes

41983

Paris Fashion Week (PFW) might have come to a close but there’s no doubt that the legacy of the Fall/Winter 2023 season will assert itself in the trends to come. From shorter-than-short micro-mini skirts to ballet flats that got us rooting through the attic for our old school shoes, Miuccia Prada is the queen of viral pieces. The latest Miu Miu runway is no exception as it introduced the shockingly irresistible glitter bloomers within a collection made specifically for the chic, dorky girls of the world. This is a trend that definitely won’t be dropping off our radars any time soon.

After Miuccia Prada and Raf Simmons came together in 2020 as co-creative directors for Prada, Miu Miu is the only brand exclusively run, and founded, by Mrs Prada herself. The label, affectionately known as Prada’s little sister, gives the designer a chance to reminisce about her younger days.

The show, which took place at PFW on Tuesday 7 March, saw Mia Goth, Zaya Wade and Amelia Gray becoming quintessential Miu Miu girls as they strut down the runway, looking as though they were shattered after a nine-to-five shift in the office.

Of course, house ambassador, Emma Corin was in attendance on the runway. Nepo babies Nicola and Brooklyn Peltz-Beckham were also spotted sitting in the front row—all gen Z favourites.

Key motifs of the collection include coloured tights and leather mini dresses that parallel JW Anderson’s Polly Pocket-inspired clothes for Loewe, reinforcing the sustainability initiatives behind having key staples that last in your wardrobe. Embroidered 3D flowers, which also featured heavily in the show, proved that summer still leaves its mark even at the start of those colder autumn nights.

The Miu Miu logo was small but present throughout, marking a shift from unobtainable and impractical luxury fashion to a more commercial approach. Overall, the collection is simpler than past seasons, but is it a sign of gen Z taking the steps toward adulthood?

The collection also hinted at coquettish office girl chic, with buttoned cardigans and midi skirts featuring heavily on the runway. Kitten heels—in a Carrie Bradshaw sense, as opposed to Theresa May—gave bog standard office footwear a more playful revamp. Bigger bags were also central to the collection as boxy, practical shapes dominated. Could we finally be saying goodbye to the Y2K micro bag?

As we all know, however, the way you look as you start your working day isn’t always the same as how you end up looking coming out. Miu Miu challenged the clean girl aesthetic with a slightly dishevelled approach to styling its FW23 collection. Models’ hair made a celebration out of bad hair days, organza gowns were subtly puckered, cardis were caught up in tights, and exposed underwear (a Miu Miu constant since SS22) paid tribute to the ever-relatable Bridget Jones’s Diary.

Several pop culture parallels have been made in connection with the standout collection. Some netizens have referenced Nanny from 101 Dalmatians. Others appreciated the nods to holy grail rags to riches flick The Princess Diaries, particularly the moments which capture Mia Thermopolis before she becomes Princess of Genovia.

Trend forecaster Mandy Lee, known on TikTok as @oldloserinbrooklyn, refers to it as ‘The Ugly Girl Trope’. It would be hard to look at the collection without also being reminded of noughties  Kate Middleton. Previously a fashion icon reserved for the older generation, Depop girlies have recently been delving into old paparazzi pics of the future Queen for inspo.

@oldloserinbrooklyn

Miu Miu fall winter 2023 collection review. Bit of a mixed bag for me, what did you think? #miumiu #parisfashionweek #runwayfashion #fashiontrends

♬ Luxury fashion (no vocals) - TimTaj

Royal nostalgia truly hit its peak when Middleton stumbled out of a club into the back of a taxi, or wore yellow hot pants and leg warmers to an 80s-themed roller disco. Depop top seller, Remass , launched a collection dedicated specifically to the Princess, and not long after, the entire drop was brought up by the costume department of Netflix’s The Crown.

https://www.tiktok.com/@remass/video/7146968525041569030

If you can’t wait to recreate some Miu Miu FW23 looks, try searching for cashmere cardigans, neutral midi skirts and sheer blouses on Depop’s more affordable cousin, Vinted.

So, there you have it, the Fall/Winter fashion season is over for this year. With it came a flood of neutral tones, longer hemlines and lots of knitwear contrasted with glitter pants. Miu Miu gave smart-casual office dressing a relatable spin and said: “It’s okay for your hair to be in disarray!”

Keep On Reading

By Alma Fabiani

From ugly crying to reliving Y2K dreams: 6 audiobooks for every mood on Amazon Music

By Abby Amoakuh

Keke Palmer recounts agent’s shocking response to inappropriate kiss scene she had to shoot age 12

By Abby Amoakuh

Rethinking feminist cinema: the pros, the cons, and the serious abundance of white narratives

By Abby Amoakuh

Bridgerton event compared to Glasgow Willy Wonka experience after guests paid $250 for raw food

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

3 of the most sexist things Republicans said about Kamala Harris this week

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Is Melania Trump’s pro-choice memoir a plot to boost Donald Trump’s 2024 election bid?

By Abby Amoakuh

Parents are buying bulletproof backpacks and clipboards for their children as school shootings continue

By Abby Amoakuh

MAGA pushes wildest conspiracy theory yet about Tim Walz ahead of US presidential election

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Americans are learning mandarin and fleeing to RedNote and Lemon8 ahead of controversial TikTok ban

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Romani creator Londra la Gipsy talks culture appropriation and discrimination

By Abby Amoakuh

Leaked voice note of Molly-Mae Hague talking about Tommy Fury’s infidelity goes viral on TikTok

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Gordon Ramsay gives Dua Lipa stern warning after trying her viral Diet Coke pickle juice cocktail

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Strava mule reveals shocking reason why Strava users are paying him to run for them

By Abby Amoakuh

Why are people claiming that Mark Zuckerberg killed JonBenét Ramsey and Jeffrey Epstein?

By Charlie Sawyer

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell sparks outrage over alleged white supremacist message in new ad

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2024 has haters and fans alike losing their mind, here’s why

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Donald Trump’s viral McDonald’s shift mocked online for being completely staged

By Abby Amoakuh

Meet Laura and Becky, the women hunting and exposing cheaters live to thousands on TikTok

By Abby Amoakuh

It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover’s long history of controversies and problematic behaviour

By Emma O'Regan-Reidy

What are Pit Viper sunglasses? From their 90s roots to their controversial fanbase