Honoring tradition within a contemporary frame, Prada celebrates the Qixi festival with a dedicated collection of women’s and men’s ready-to-wear as well as accessories, narrated through images and a video retelling the ancient legend.
The Qixi tale speaks of a forbidden love between a celestial fairy and a mortal man, condemned to eternal separation by a heavenly river. Yet once each year, magpies gather to form a bridge, allowing the lovers a fleeting reunion—an image that transcends mere romance to embody the power of connection across time, space, and fate.
In Prada’s visual narrative, an ancient myth is reimagined against the dynamic backdrop of modern Shanghai. Bridges—rich with historical depth and symbolic meaning in Chinese urban culture—serve as quiet witnesses to the unfolding story.
A man and a woman, portrayed by brand ambassadors Li Xian and Chen Haoyu, journey through the city, crossing seven of its most iconic bridges: Zhejiang Road Bridge, Shanxi Road Bridge, Fujian Road Bridge, Wuzhen Road Bridge, Xizang Road Bridge, Waibaidu Bridge, and Yangpu Bridge.
Each bridge becomes a silent threshold—a place of passage and possibility that evokes not only the bond of true love, but also the enduring power of genuine connection to transcend distance and obstacles. The city itself mirrors the couple’s journey: its shifting lights and shadows form a living backdrop where nearness and separation coexist, echoing the rhythm of their paths.
The women's selection captures the velocity of the urban rhythm, while emphasizing streamlined grace and sophisticated functionality, while for men, classic silhouettes are reinterpreted through a subtly retro lens, while maintaining a relaxed, polished attitude.
