Prada's new campaign is all about the intimacy of analog communication

The AW 2024 campaign by Prada, titled "Now That We Are Here", originally explored the theme of dialogue and interpersonal exchange, not as a simple transfer of information, but as an expression of intimacy and presence. At the heart of this campaign was a collaboration with Miranda July, an American director, artist, and writer known for her ability to blend reality and fantasy. Together with Prada, July imagined an experience starting from phone conversations typical of contemporary imagery, bringing them out of the digital context to transform them into a mirrored play between video, photography, and installation. The campaign represented a reflection on communication, its ambiguities, and the value it takes on in everyday life, and proposed an interactive mode, inviting the audience to actively participate in this reflection.

To engage the public in this experience, Prada posted billboards in select international cities, including Milan, Los Angeles, New York, London, and Bangkok. These billboards invited passersby to call a toll-free number, allowing them to "talk" with Miranda July, or rather her voice. The conversation was not spontaneous but followed a script written by July herself, capable of triggering a series of random responses blending provocation, irony, and everyday life. Each phone call became a unique experience, creating a different exchange with the listener depending on their responses. During Milan Fashion Week, in the Prada boutique at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a phone was placed as part of an artistic installation, offering passersby the chance to participate directly in the work. The storefront, without glass, opened up as an accessible space, interrupting the traditional atmosphere of the boutique and inviting anyone to take part in the dialogue. Through these interactions, July and Prada played with technology and analog gestures, offering an ambiguous and at times revealing reflection on the hidden meaning behind the campaign’s images. Each conversation, though following a script, represented a new key to unlocking the underlying message, encouraging the audience to reflect on the value of dialogue in a world where communication is often taken for granted.