Unless you have been living under a rock, then you are probably familiar with Miu Miu’s micro-mini set from their now-iconic Spring 2022 collection. Well, if spring’s micro-mini-skirt sets were Ivy League grads heading to the office, then their Fall 2022 micro-mini-skirt sets are New England wealthy tennis players trying to impress their instructor. However, with the trend-cycle changing so fast, it is rare to see such similar runway collections back to back. So, why did such a high-end, popular and youthful brand like Miu Miu decide to take that “risk”?
One reason why Miu Miu could have decided to do the unheard of—to make another collection using the same silhouette as the previous season, that being the mico mini skirt-crop top combo—is because of its immense popularity. The matching sets from their spring collection have made appearances on countless It-girls from Emily Ratajowski, Emma Corrin, and Hailey Bieber to Euphoria stars Hunter Schafer and Zendaya to women who never go out of style like Nicole Kidman and Naomi Campbell. While all these women are thin, with their razor-sharp abs showcased in the now-iconic matching set, Miu Miu has had at least one more body-positive and inclusive use of matching set with Paloma Elsesser’s I-D magazine cover. With It-girls flocking to Miu Miu’s hit collection, it makes sense why they want to maximize financially and reputationally on its popularity.
Miu Miu’s reputation in the fashion industry is that of the more free and flirty sister to its older sister Prada. With Miuccia Prada being the head of both brands and both being under the Prada group, there is a reason why clients who love Prada, often love Miu Miu as well, with both brands being very popular with young women today. Miu Miu has a little more fun than Prada, with its undeniable and consistent 60s influence, even with something as Y2K as a micro mini. Miu Miu’s designs often feature humor, wit, chicness and experimentation as opposed to Prada’s contemporary, yet sophisticated nature. Prada has gained a reputation for making ugly beautiful, while Miu Miu is more wild and boundless.
One of the reasons the set has become so popular is because of just that, it is a set. Two-piece matching sets have always been popular, and its recent surge is no doubt linked to it being Maddy Perez’s signature in Euphoria. This is because of the recent trend of the Full Look Policy. The Full Look Policy is when fashion houses agree to rent out their most coveted looks for celebrities and models to wear in magazines and on carpets, but only if it’s styled the way they want, usually the same way it’s worn on the runway, which isn’t always the most realistic way of dressing.
The issue with this is the lack of personal style. While it’s understandable that brands feel it’s important to keep their image and reputation, it makes the whole thing easily iconic but very repetitive. Due to the Full Look Policy, stylists and clients can’t mix and match the set. Maybe clients who purchase the set themselves, but not celebrities the average person sees on a magazine or social media. If clients could mix and match, it could show off their personal style, but damage the brand’s identity, or so they think.
Mini-skirts overall are making a huge statement this season, and Miu Miu’s repetition only proved it. However, fashionistas everywhere are acting like this is brand new, when really mini-skirts haven’t really gone out of style since their revolutionary boom in the 1960s when Mary Quant brought the mini-skirt from specific event clothing to the mainstream, everyday clothing. Even in the 80s, when the conservative midi length came back in style, mini-skirts’ style reigned supreme. That lasted through the 90s and they still stayed short even when the waistline shrunk in the 2000s.
The point is that mini-skirts have always been in trend. It’s micro-mini skirts that haven’t been popular since the 2000s. That’s what makes Miu Miu’s mini-skirt crazy, not to mention pairing it with an extremely cropped top so shocking and instantly coveted and iconic. They encompassed the 2000s comeback with the Prada group’s signature contemporary smarts. It’s a match made in heaven, and frankly, I’m not going to get tired of it anytime soon. However, hopefully, just people more like Paloma Elsesser will pull it off.