Miuccia Prada & Tavi Gevinson

‘Women still don’t rule the world, but we’re more articulate.’

Miuccia Prada tells Tavi Gevinson why femininity means more than just girly motifs or womanly silhouettes.

Images of Tavi in Miu Miu and Prada, courtesy of Ms. @Tavitulle

Noah’s Ark top against my shower curtain.

After I bought myself this Miu Miu skirt.

Wandering around a hotel with my friend in my Miu Miu pyjamas.

Photo by Petra Collins of me getting ready to go out during Fashion Week last year in my Miu Miu skirt.

Toilet selfie of Prada ‘lips’ skirt (iconic!) and shoes.

In head-to-toe Prada stars at their show this past January.

In my Prada star pants & with my red Prada purse, outside the theatre where we did The Crucible, on my 20th birthday.

Trying on a vintage Prada off-the-shoulder top that I ended up buying at Collection in LA.

In heaven at the Prada outlet in Palm Springs.

Another shot in heaven at the Prada outlet in Palm Springs.

Vintage Prada top and Miu Miu choker from a few seasons ago, at a restaurant in Palm Springs.

Miu Miu choker in the middle of the desert.

Miu Miu choker.

Never happier! Prada heels by the pool.

Prada heels in fake New York on the Paramount movie lot.

In the Noah's Ark top outside the Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua on Houston St.

In my Miu Miu collar before going out.

In my Miu Miu princess headband.

In a Miu Miu sweater, in the bathroom on a date going very badly.

Prada heels on top of my Schiaparelli x Prada, Impossible Conversations book, and the top of a Miu Miu shoebox holding precious documents.

Prada and Miu Miu shoes with the Pirelli calendar on top of my book case.

Miu Miu by my speaker.

Pradas on the boob rug.

Old Miu Mius in my closet.

Admiring new Pradas in the back of an Uber taxi.

Still admiring new Pradas in the back of an Uber taxi.

Some old selfie standing on my toilet when I was planning an outfit (old custom Miu Miu they gave me because they read on my blog that I had the same kind of dog as the one in the print.

Tavi Gevinson: I’m always surprised by what ends up resonating with people emotionally, and you can’t really predict it or control it. You can’t decide that you’re going to get through to a group of people, and then do it for them, and get the result you want.
Miuccia Prada: I agree. I always say that I don’t have a muse. In the end, I’m not able to reason in terms of… really thinking about the result. Sometimes people think, ‘What could I do to be elegant?’ Sometimes I say, ‘Study, study’. OK, what does that mean, study? Study fashion, study movies, study literature, psychoanalysis. Be yourself, and afterwards, the problem doesn’t exist. Because there are no rules. So one should do what one feels. So, of course, I tell myself if I do a thing that has to do with people, like a collection, it’s impossible for me to do things that I don’t like. I am not able to give someone a present if I don’t like it. Say a friend of mine likes roses, but let’s say that I don’t like roses – I can’t give her something that I don’t like. I struggle with it myself. I see that mainly when I do presents; I can’t buy anything, even if I know they’ll want it more than anything, if I don’t like it. It is a weakness and it is a strength.

What’s a good present for you?
Anything. Anything. Because I like so many different things, in so many different fields. But you know, you can feel when something is not for you. I have to say that, now that I talk about it, the presents that I receive are usually always good.

Presents are hard for people with impeccable taste. I run into that problem with my friends I really admire.
I know, but I can give you the solution: give what you like. Don’t think what they like. That’s easy. Then it can’t be wrong. Because it’s a piece of yourself.

Read the full conversation between Tavi Gevinson and Miuccia Prada in System No. 8 – Click to buy