Prototypes SS25
With Series07, Prototypes continues its deep dive into football culture, focusing on its unique codes and key figures. Earlier seasons explored the sport’s origins within the working class, challenging its transformation through neoliberal commercialization. This time, the design collective intensifies its focus on the tribalism inherent in football fan communities. The fierce loyalty associated with fan groups is echoed in a collective aesthetic that values unity over individuality.
This theme is evident in various elements of the collection: masked faces signify a desire for anonymity, football jerseys symbolize a commitment to collective values, and the motto "arte et labore" (by skill and labor) underscores the dedication to craftsmanship. Prototypes emphasizes this devotion through pinned silhouettes, garments shaped directly on the body, and spray-painted graphics, rejecting standard screen printing in favor of an artisanal, DIY ethos.
A unifying thread across these themes is the continuous exploration of silhouettes and their manipulation to serve personal aesthetic needs and attitudes. An example of this is the use of constriction, which can evoke a range of experiences—from oppression to kink to comfort.
photography DONALD GJOKA
words DAVIDE ANDREATTA
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