The Devil Wears Prada

A group of mice are getting up to mischief with a polka-dot Prada shoe. A lynx takes a conspicuous interest in a designer handbag. And suddenly you find yourself in a world where the boundaries between reality and illustration blur in a highly entertaining way.

‘Drawing Prada: Animated by Hand’ is the name of the Italian fashion house’s new festive campaign. A series of short films and photographs that is less reminiscent of traditional luxury advertising than of those wonderfully quirky animated films that generations have grown up with.

The leading roles are played by Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Chen Haoyu, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Luther Ford. However, the actors have to share the limelight with all manner of drawn forest dwellers. And they certainly have what it takes to steal the show from them.

Back to the drawing board.

For the animations, Prada has enlisted none other than John Pomeroy. The American artist is one of the leading figures in classic animated film. His work includes Disney’s *Pocahontas*, *Fantasia 2000* and *Atlantis*, as well as Don Bluth’s *The Land Before Time*.

For Prada, Pomeroy assembled a team of experienced animators. Together, they created characters, movements and entire fantasy landscapes using traditional methods: by hand, stroke by stroke, frame by frame.

The live-action footage was shot by Glen Luchford. Lighting, perspectives and image composition were coordinated so that the actors become a natural part of the illustrated worlds. At times playful, at times surreal, always with a certain nostalgic warmth. Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons are responsible for the creative direction of the campaign, whilst Ferdinando Verderi is in charge of the overall campaign direction.

A rather fine stroke.

What is truly interesting about this production, however, is not just its aesthetics, but the decision behind how it was created.

Whilst artificial intelligence can now generate entire visual worlds in a matter of seconds, Prada is investing in a technique that demands time, experience and remarkable precision. A deliberate return to analogue, without appearing old-fashioned.

After all, it would, of course, be possible to create such fantasy worlds on a computer today. But the subtle nuances of a hand-drawn movement, the artist’s visible signature and the care that goes into every single image lend this campaign its distinctive character.

Perhaps this is now a rather contemporary notion of luxury: not making everything faster and easier simply because it is possible.

And so, this winter, Prada is not simply telling a story about fashion and beautiful gifts. Instead, it subtly reminds us just how much joy can be found in a good idea when you take the time needed to bring it to life.

Sometimes, the future really does begin with a pencil.