Prada: Erotica and old lace

As the models walked down the steep runway in dresses as dark as pitch, just a nude-toned neckpiece suggesting something edgy underneath, the Prada collection seemed a world away from last season's subversive flutter of fairies.

Then came the first shot of arsenic and old lace: the lace worked in flowers, crunchy or transparent, with the kicker in the sexual charge coming literally from underneath in the case of transparent panels showing and revealing clinging underpants and alabaster white thighs.

Miuccia Prada's theme was lace for her womenswear show on Tuesday with heavy, Chantilly-style fabrics for a Spanish mantilla mood.

The predominant color was black, worked dramatically in a straight dress over a pale pastel blue tunic or worn with barely nothing at all for a sexy twist to the traditional textile.

Prada spun out of black into startling bright orange for a straight lace skirt, or used gold for a glamorous jacket and skirt. And she lightened the texture for a black chiffon dress banded with net curtain panels.

The idiosyncratic designer's collection was shown in Milan's winter 2008-2009 fashion week but snow and ice had little to do with Prada's outfits. She has been in the forefront of designers moving away from an emphasis on seasonal inspirations.

Her models wore shoes that had wings back and front, or bows to the toes and heels, in bright metallics and black patents. A pair of boots turned out to be leg covers stopping just above the ankle gladiator-style.