The Designer Social Life
The “designer life” is a culture of its own: fashion, luxury, and status. So, what happens when this life of luxury and contemporary culture collide? Prada Mode. This two-day event invites members of the club to indulge in engaging discussions of culture, installed art exhibits, and socialite enterprise. This private traveling social club is cultivating global culture into a unique and eclectic experience. Prada Mode has previously debuted in seven cities located in the premier culture hubs of the world; including Los Angeles, Moscow, Shanghai, Paris, London, Hong Kong, and Miami. These social events incorporate the culture of their respective cities through art, discussion, and social esse.
The eighth iteration of Prada Mode launched in Dubai on November 9th. Following in the steps of the seven previous iterations, Dubai is a gateway city for culture, as well as an esteemed architecture wonderland. The two-day event took place in Dubai’s trade center in the ICD Brookfield Place, a workspace and retail center. For each iteration, Prada Mode commissions an artist to transform their designated space into an art piece for the members to engage in. The star of the show in Dubai was an art installation by Damien Hirst that featured his iconic work: Pharmacy. The renowned English artist has collaborated with Prada on multiple accounts, reiterating his work with Pharmacy to emphasize the parallel between people’s relationships with art and medicine. The artist’s usage of this theme evokes the true meaning of “altering perception and providing a short-lived cure, ineffectual in the face of death.” His work with this theme has been showcased in other iterations of Prada Mode and galleries in New York, London, and Moscow. Hirst’s work captivates the event members in a self-reflective hypnosis of being within the art world. Members of the Prada Mode featured a plethora of visual artists, including Brendan McGetrick, Antonia Carver, and Masheem Montasser. The artwork transformed the space with walls lined with medicine cabinets, a suspended 3D organic molecule, and models of prescription medications.
The transformative artwork inspired an activity where event guests participated in a spin painting workshop using Pharmacy symbols. Hirst’s symbols of Pharmacy comment on the representation of medicine in philosophy as a source of redeeming life and contrastingly, the inevitability of death. The guests further immersed themselves in contemporary culture in a discussion of “Diversity in the Cultural Landscape” which encompassed the facets of multiculturalism in the United Arab Emirates. The discussion was moderated by Myrna Ayad as well as visual artists and directors from Dubai; the conversation covered the importance of people and art through their impact on culture in their country. The second day of the event featured a discussion on “How Structures Speak multiculturalism,” where they dove into how cultural aspects of heritage and sustainability have influenced architecture. Dubai’s innovative modernist architecture is notorious for its design and Arab inspiration and is also responsible for some of the tallest buildings in the world. These conversations are crucial to the development of future culture and the cultivation of art, with the biggest inspiration being the people.
Collaboration and exposure to global culture are what allow growth in design concerning sustainability. Prada was founded as an Italian family business that now produces high-quality handbags and luggage that has evolved into a world-renowned designer label. The brand has expanded to include other fashion houses such as Miu Miu. As of last year, Prada has taken actions to navigate sustainability within its business model. Their tactics to achieve this involve incorporating recycled material in packaging, utilizing in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and ethically sourcing manufacturing materials.
Prada Mode truly encapsulates the depth of global culture. The art featured in their most recent version brings light to the culture surrounding medicine and its’ philosophical implications. The discussion of culture in architecture and landscape design honorably complements its’ location. This designer brand’s multifaceted approach to culture and sustainability could be a model for brands across the globe.
Written by Chloe Pham, Photography: Savannah Patterson, Social Media: Emma McMinn