Cinema seats and a runway tunnel that resembles the spacecraft in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey formed the backdrop to Prada's 2022 Fall Winter menswear show at Fondazione Prada, designed by AMO.

AMO, the research arm of Dutch architecture studio OMA, drew on sci-fi references to emphasise the relationship between theatre and technology for the Italian fashion brand's latest show.

The studio transformed a large room inside the OMA-designed Fondazione Prada's Deposito – a renovated building that lies on the western side of the Milanese complex into a "theatrical space".

The studio covered the floor of the main room in an olive green carpet and added rows of cinema seats that were sourced from a cinema elsewhere at the Fondazione Prada.

"The idea of the show is a reinterpretation of a theatrical space; it is a stage for action, familiar yet surprising," AMO project architect Giulio Margheri told Dezeen.

"The typical configuration of the theatre with a clear division between the stage and the audience has been deconstructed, bringing the guests into different parts of the room while leaving a large empty space for the models to walk."

While guests entered the room via a sparse concrete tunnel, models walked through a tunnel of metal grating lit with blue neon lights.

The geometric tunnel is distinctly reminiscent of the spaceship in Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

"The sci-fi element comes into contrast with the overall atmosphere of the set," explained Margheri. "We tested it in different forms and eventually materialised it in the form of a tunnel, which has its own spatial identity while at the same time changing the perception of the show space."

"The blue lights enhance the friction between spaces we were looking for and express the reference imagery we had in mind," he added.

To contribute to the performative nature of the show, Hollywood actors were called on to model the clothes. Theatrical spotlights followed the models as they walked in a zig-zag pattern through the space.

The cast included 10 internationally recognised actors including American actor Jeff Goldblum, who is best known for his role in the sci-fi film Jurassic Park.

Goldblum sported an all-black outfit consisting of a heavy overcoat, turtleneck sweater and leather gloves from the collection. His look aligned with the collection's workwear aesthetic.

Other celebrity appearances included Kyle Maclachlan, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Damson Idris, who joined models presenting oversized trousers, boiler suits and double-breasted blazers.

AMO frequently designs the sets for Prada's fashion shows. The longtime pairing between the two was born from the close relationship between their respective founders Rem Koolhaas and Miuccia Prada.

Last year AMO installed a bright red tunnel and matching floating squares on a beach in Sardinia for Prada's Spring/Summer 2022 menswear show. In 2018, the studio illuminated a Prada catwalk show with pink neon lights arranged around a strict grid structure.

The photography is by Agostino Osio, courtesy of OMA.

Project credits:

Partner in charge: Rem Koolhaas
Team: Giulio Margheri, Alex Tintea, Theodora Gelali, Eugene Kim and Luisa Carvalho Punchirolli

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