A giant wooden wave dominates Prada's massive Soho outpost, stretching from the upper level to the lower. On the down slope, shoes are displayed on stadium seats, while an amorphous sculpture hangs above the up slope, which incorporates a fold-out stage. The shop feels less like a place in which people actually purchase things, and more like an art installation that explores the idea of consumerism (in keeping with the theories of its designer, ultra-fashionable architect Rem Koolhaas). It's almost too perfect that this was once the commercially-minded Guggenheim Soho space.
The entire Prada line is here--ethereal peasant dresses, trademark Miuccia uniforms, sumptuous leathers, a mind-boggling array of bags, games, home stuff, skincare and, of course, shoes. Clothing hangs on racks alongside video monitors playing endless loops of Prada stores, street scenes and classic movies; changing room settings can be adjusted and the full catalogue is digitally browsable, too.
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