The Miu Miu Boy is back

After years of absence, the Miu Miu Boy returns to the runway and becomes a new male trend to follow and imitate. This style is one of the most appreciated at the moment by Gen Z. This is evidenced by the multitude of TikTok videos showing young men trying to recreate Miu Miu-inspired looks, using both brand pieces and items already in their wardrobes: «Born to be a Miu Miu Boy, forced to recreate the outfits», declare some captions. The strength of this trend probably lies in its easy replicability: who doesn't have a blue polo, swim trunks, and a pair of loafers in their closet? Once again, Miuccia Prada has managed to create a dialogue between garments through improbable and original combinations, creating a spontaneous and immediate style. The reason why Gen Z youth are increasingly interested in this archetype lies in the challenge posed by the Miu Miu Boy aesthetic, going against rigid masculinity and seriousness of traditional male dress codes, while also mixing more formal pieces with ones that are playful and childlike. Just like for women, the latest men’s looks also draw inspiration from the brand’s archive, particularly from the first men's collections in 1999, where we find nylon jackets paired with shorts and wool socks (somewhat like an English school uniform) and striped or patterned polos that were recently reintroduced in the SS25 collection. 

The Miu Miu boy aesthetic is the result of a conversation between diverse trends. There are preppy-style pieces, like loafers or checked shirts, whose messy collars peek out from blue polos. In the SS24 collection, some suede jackets are paired with swimwear-like shorts, through which colorful contrast briefs are visible. Through layering that plays with overlaps, Miu Miu irreverently reverses the order of clothing layers, bringing underwear to the forefront: in the latest SS25 collection, there are body suits in collaboration with Petit Bateau that look exactly like those worn by children, and tailored or technical fabric pants from which boxer elastics emerge. The materials used, as well as the styling, always feature an apparently unsettling contrast, which actually generates personality in the look. The Miu Miu boy wears unlaced shoes, be they derby straps, boat shoes, or sandals. Notably, the viral collaboration with New Balance, which began in 2022, allowed the brand to expand its client base to sneaker enthusiasts as well. Another essential accessory for the Miu Miu boy is eyewear: sometimes it's sunglasses, perfect for a rave party (FW24), at other times they are round-framed glasses that embody the brand’s nerdy spirit (FW23). The typical librarian glasses, a sort of male equivalent of the small rectangular glasses from the office siren trend, are often paired with cardigans with buttons, as seen in FW23, or cropped wool jackets, worn in the FW24 collection with leather gloves and rolled, slightly wrinkled shirt cuffs. The so-called wrinkled effect, widely used by Signora Prada, leaves traces of everyday life on the garments, creating looks that are intentionally less refined, anything but composed.   

According to a recent report from Lyst, Miu Miu remains the hottest brand of the year, and its success is likely also due to the return of a men's section in recent collections. Unlike Prada, Miu Miu has managed to create an interchangeable wardrobe across genders, where the line between masculine and feminine is thin, and this may be one reason why Prada’s "younger sister" appeals to Gen Z. This new androgynous spirit of the brand is evident in its casting, which each season focuses on faces and physiques that do not express a clear gender binary. So who are these Miu Miu Boys? A recent article in the New York Times sought to answer this question through interviews with some of them. Among them is a young New York lawyer, Jake Weber, who stated that his attraction to Miuccia Prada’s brand lies precisely in the intersection between masculinity and femininity: «One thing I love is that you see the collections and, yes, it’s traditionally a women’s brand, but you walk into the store, and it feels like anything goes. It can be for anyone, any age, any gender. I mean, there are price constraints, of course.» Among celebrities, A$AP Rocky, Omar Apollo, and Migos member Offset have recently incorporated Miu Miu into their street style looks. Dior Homme’s creative director, Kim Jones, has also frequently been spotted wearing pieces from the brand, even during the finale of some of his shows. But the true stars of this trend are – hands down – Troye Sivan and Willem Dafoe, chosen by Miuccia to fully embody the male aesthetic spirit of the brand. The queer pop star walked in the SS24 show, while the Hollywood actor – after being among Prada’s Villains in the renowned FW12 collection – closed the SS25 show, becoming at the age of 69 the newest Miu Miu Boy.