Pradasphere, Harrods

If you can muscle your way through the crush of tourists to reach the fourth floor of Harrods, you will be delighted to find Pradasphere. Following on from exhibitions of Dior and Chanel's archive in previous years, Pradasphere charts Prada's history since 1987. The head designers of fashion houses are perennially mythologised as visionary mould-breakers, but Miuccia Prada might just be the real deal. While Pradasphere falls short of fully conveying Prada's innovative, excessive and unpredictable spirit, the exhibition is a must-see for fans of the brand and there is plenty here to entertain those less familiar with her work as well.

Four impressive display cases are at the centre of the exhibition. Here, outfits from every season since 1987 – when Miuccia Prada inherited the company – are grouped thematically. The exhibition also includes glossy books of each annual Prada campaign back to the very first. There are also vitrines packed with shoes and bags from every season. Jammed full of fabrics and detailing from Prada designs, these will be of firm interest to eternal fashion students, however, a warning to the uninitiated:  this part of the exhibition could seem like a load of clutter. We definitely recommend that you take some time to look through the mayhem and access the genius.

There is a lot of interesting material on show besides the clothes; such as Fondazione Prada's artist collaborations (including work with Louise Bourgeois, Dan Flavin and Carsten Holler) and their collaborations with architects including Rem Koolhaas. 

Some effort is needed to struggle through the exhibition's explanatory texts; while informative, they are written in an abundantly florid prose style. There are, if you would prefer, some very enthusiastic invigilators on hand to fill you in with the details. By whichever means, a little inquisitiveness, persistence, and attention to detail will certainly pay off.