Carey Mulligan Stars In Prada SS25 Campaign, Reimagined By Author Ottessa Moshfegh
February 3, 2025
Limited-edition book brings literary depth to luxury fashion campaign
Prada's Spring-Summer 2025 "Acts Like Prada" campaign evolves into literature through acclaimed author Ottessa Moshfegh's pen, as she crafts ten distinct short stories for a limited-edition publication. The project, titled "Ten Protagonists," pairs Moshfegh's distinctive narrative voice with Steven Meisel's campaign photographs of Carey Mulligan, with each story titled after a fictional character name Moshfegh creates for Mulligan's different campaign personas.
The limited-edition publication expands each campaign image into a fully realized character study, with Moshfegh creating unique fictional personas that correspond to Mulligan's various embodiments of the Prada woman. The author, known for complex female characters in works like My Year of Rest and Relaxation and the Booker Prize-nominated Eileen, brings her sharp literary perspective to fashion storytelling.
This collaboration marks Prada's latest exploration of narrative in fashion, following last season's Miranda July telephone project. Under the creative direction of Ferdinando Verderi, the initiative transforms traditional campaign imagery into a broader artistic dialogue, where fashion becomes a springboard for contemporary literature.
The "Acts Like Prada" campaign sees the house's continued exploration of merging fashion with other creative disciplines. By commissioning Moshfegh, whose recent novel Lapvona topped the New York Times bestseller list, Prada reinforces its position as a cultural catalyst rather than simply a luxury fashion brand.
Each story in the collection serves as a literary portrait, adding psychological depth to the visual narrative of the campaign. This intersection of high fashion and contemporary literature creates a unique artifact that extends beyond the traditional boundaries of fashion marketing into the realm of collectible creative works.
