MIU ME

Stephanie spent last weekend browsing the internet for gray hoodies. To pair with her wool Rohé blazer layered over a dark grey cardigan, with the crew neck of a white T-shirt as base layer peeking out. Plus 20 denier black tights, heels (preferably peep toe), and a bowling bag. If you’re knee-deep into fashion like we are, you probably know we're talking about Miu Miu FW23. We don’t just credit Miuccia Prada for this obsession; we also attribute it to Lotta Volkova, the Russian stylist who’s been working closely with Miuccia Prada on shows and campaigns for the house since 2020 and is partially responsible for Miu Miu’s recent success.

To quote her agency, Art Partner: Volkova has consistently defined the energy of things to come. Everything you think is cool now is probably something she came up with. Messy chic bags personalized with all kinds of cutesy Hello Kitty keychains? Volkova did it first. Wearing faux fur like an elderly Italian lady, paired with a white shirt, skirt, and leather gloves, but with ultra-cool 00s sunglasses? That's a Volkova brainchild. She sported this look backstage at Miu Miu AW24 while simultaneously styling Gigi Hadid in a similar ensemble for the runway that we praised two newsletters ago. Volkova is what you call a method stylist. She doesn’t just create the next cool thing; she becomes it

 Lotta Volkova in Miu Miu

Her aesthetic is heavily influenced by post-Soviet street culture, alt-punk, and fetishism. She started her career as a designer after graduating from Central Saint Martins in London. Her post-punk-inspired label, Lotta Skeletrix, was sold at Dover Street Market London, where she met Rei Kawakubo. In 2007, she moved to Paris and shifted her focus to styling. A mutual friend introduced her to Demna Gvasalia at a party. The designer showed her some lookbook images of an early Vetements collection. Although intrigued by the clothing, Volkova mentioned she was unimpressed by the styling. “Why don’t you style it then?” he replied. Volkova played an integral part in developing the creative vision behind Vetements and later at Balenciaga when Gvasalia was appointed creative director in 2015. 

Miu Miu Fall 2024 backstage styled by Lotta Volkova and photographed by Allesandro Furchino Capria

Last year, growth at Miu Miu far outpaced the luxury market, with sales soaring by a whopping 58 percent, according to Business of Fashion, 'thanks to a product and styling revamp that appeals to a broad spectrum of consumers.' Interestingly enough, while The Ceiling’s Stephanie has always been into Prada’s younger sister, for Charon, the obsession is new. Like many, she tuned in around the time the cut-off beige belted mini skirt from the SS22 show debuted. Look 9, worn by Rianne van Rompaey in the show, even garnered its own fan account, @miumiuset, which followed the ensemble around and documented who wore it and to which shoot it was shipped afterward. The hype is still very much alive, as Volkova reposted a tattoo artist last Sunday who inked the skirt-sweater combo on a fan’s wrist.

MIU MIU boat shoes (or here, for the US see here - or try these) VAQUERA Titty twister top (or here), MAISON MARGIELA Sheer midi skirt and COMME SI Yves Ivory socks (or here)

Call it the Volkova effect, but suddenly, Charon finds herself daydreaming about these Miu Miu boat shoes with a rounded toe, even though she used to be repelled by the shape. But perhaps that's actually the attraction: the thin line between repulsiveness and recognition, boarding school boy and retiree. Another example of an ugly-chic shoe, a necessity to make or break an outfit. While researching for a recent personal styling client, she developed an obsession with two SS24 pieces: a grey batavia bermuda, since all she wears in South Africa right now is shorts. And a military green leather jacket-blazer, carrying the same nostalgic feel as one of her favorite vintage, stiff, water-repellent fisherman coats, pairing well with almost everything in her wardrobe.

 Maya Leroux wearing MIU MIU boat shoes (or here, for the US see here - or try these)

For Stephanie, it's all about the layering. She's been studying how these looks are constructed, trying to pinpoint what makes Miu Miu so cool these days. While eagerly anticipating the new bowling bags with round edges, brimming with personal items showcased in the show, she's been sourcing on Vestiaire Collective. There, she stumbled upon a vintage model that could have easily been plucked from the current collection. For the sake of journalism, she recreated a Miu Miu-inspired (or should we say, Lotta Volkova-inspired) look.

Stephanie is wearing ROHÉ wool blazer (similar here), ARKET Gray hoodie, FILIPPA K white T-shirt, 440ME Gray cashmere blend crewneck sweater, MAISON MARGIELA Black heeled ballerina’s (or here) and MIU MIU Vintage Bowling bag (similar here)

MIU MIU Patchwork bag (also see here), Acne Studios Cotton sweatpants, MIU MIU Double breasted wool and cashmere coat and AMINA MUADDI Crystal Tennis Necklace 

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