Prada has always embraced imperfection, and what has been described as "customary eccentricity". Just as Miuccia Prada transformed 'ugly chic' into one of fashion's most enduring aesthetics, her own beauty signature follows the same philosophy: lived-in, a little offbeat and never over-styled.
Off the runway that's translated into decades of brushed-back hair, tucked behind the ear with curls at the collarbone. Her colour has also remained consistent over the years, from early brunette to reddish and buttery shades of blonde.
The 76-year-old reportedly dyes and cuts it herself, save for the occasional backstage snip from longtime collaborator, and hair icon, Guido Palau. It's not all simple and low-key though: Mrs. Prada loves a hair accessory, whether it's a bejewelled or feathered headband. Her own version of Italian glamour.
That commitment to an aesthetic is typical of iconic fashion designers, and while it may not be as flashy as the likes of Karl Lagerfeld's powdered ponytail or Donatella Versace's poker straight peroxide blonde, Mrs. Prada's is an easily replicable style that is both imperfect and intentional.
One of the earliest photos of Miuccia Prada, taken sometime in the 1980s.
A young Miuccia in 1982, wearing her still signature hair accessory and jewellery against a simple outfit.
Darker hair, backstage in 1996.
A portrait taken in 1999 by Guido Harari captured her no-nonsense hair, pushed back held with a simple bobby pin behind the ear.
With wet hair, no makeup and statement bijoux, this portrait by Brigitte Lacombe perfectly encapsulates Mrs Prada's approach to beauty.
Another favourite accessory: practical thick fabric headbands.
A classic reluctant runway bow, in 2001. A few years later, she told the New Yorker about her 'complex' of her work being superficial and 'dumb'.
"It’s my personal drama. Not the world’s. Everyone who is smart says they hate fashion, that it’s such a waste of time. I have asked many super-serious people, ‘Then why is fashion so popular?’ Nobody can answer that question. But somebody must be interested, because when I go to the stores the people are there. Thousands of them. So I have grown tired of apologising for being in this profession."
Boat hair, but chic. In 2002 the designer spent time in New Zealand for the America's Cup; this photo was captured for US Vogue.
Glittering adornments are a key part of Miuccia's style, including costume jewellery and sparkly headbands, like this for the 2004 CFDA Fashion Awards.
A needlework portrait by artist Francesco Vezzoli, for the cover of iD magazine in 2009 - with darker colour, and a hint of a widow's peak.
Another example of her no-fuss hair given a playful twist with accessories. In 2013 she wore a Prada feathered headpiece, secured with a bobby pin.
'Done' hair for the 2015 WSJ Innovators Awards, with defined curls and matching brooches and headband.
The 2018 Met Gala exhibition was Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, but Mrs. Prada went her own way with this neon green fringed ensemble - and subtly styled waves in her hair.
The designer's arrival at the 2023 Met Gala went viral, after she walked the runway in a hurry, barely acknowledging the cameras - while wearing this bold colour pairing and necklace. Again, the hair feels like an after-thought but is carefully styled and slicked down.
Flyaways and hints of grey, photographed for Vogue by Stef Mitchell.
Captured off-duty in 2024, in her favourite thick fabric headband.
Photographed for Interview in August. "Changing the perception of beauty, that’s something I always try to do my whole career, together with the vision of taste," she told the magazine. "But fashion is still very often linked to a very conservative idea of beauty."
