For many of us, one of the few upsides of the last 12 months has been the forced contemplation that comes with a life spent indoors. Stopping to smell the roses became a kind of shared reality, as daily outings limited to a five kilometre radius of our own houses gave many of us a renewed appreciation of the natural world. That was certainly the case for Miuccia Prada—who has dedicated her entire Miu Miu Autumn 2021 collection to the unparalleled beauty of mountains.

“Nature is the one thing that heals you,” she said in a post-show interview. “I love mountain adventures.” The collection was unveiled in an epic short film, shot in the Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites mountain range. Models wore a compelling mix of traditional skiwear and skimpy lingerie-inspired pieces—closing out the short in a ritualistic circle around a burning outdoor fire (or, the chicest après ski hour ever).

Miu Miu Fall Winter 2021
Image: Miu Miu

Standout pieces included quilted ski suits in delicious pastel tones (strawberry, lavender, baby blue), worn with chunky knitted snoods, ski masks, and balaclavas (expect the latter to dominate your Instagram feed come winter). As well as remarkable embellished slip dresses, paired with chunky studded boots and arm-length ribbed gloves—a pragmatic spin on the current ‘opera gloves’ trend.

Vinyl puffer coats and vests were suitably Miu Miu-ified with smatterings of crystal on the shoulder—while sheer ribbed knit dresses, quilted bombers, and wide-leg felt trousers will prove perennial classics.

Miu Miu Fall Winter 2021
Image: Miu Miu

The collection was highly conceptual, but also offered a pretty coherent sense of what fashion will look like in the next 12 months. As the roll-out of global vaccinations ramps up, the inevitability of returning to life “as normal” is beginning to dawn on many of us. When that happens, it seems unlikely that we will revert back to our “old” wardrobes—high heels, pencil skirts—straight away.

The Miu Miu collection—dubbed “Brave Hearts”—showcased what the teething period between at-home comfort dressing and our ‘going out’ wardrobes may look like. Are we craving beautiful sequinned dresses? Of course—but perhaps only when worn with a comfortable flat shoe (and face protection, of course). Whatever our uncertain sartorial future looks like, one thing’s for certain—the temptation to hit the slopes once global travel re-commences has never been higher.

Miu Miu Fall Winter 2021
Image: Miu Miu
Miu Miu Fall Winter 2021
Image: Miu Miu
Miu Miu Fall Winter 2021
Image: Miu Miu