The Miu Miu Boy is making a strong comeback on the catwalks and has positioned himself as one of the new male trends to follow and imitate. A style that, beyond the catwalks, has been replicated by a legion of young people, especially Gen Z, who flood TikTok with videos in which they recreate à-la-Miu Miu looks using everything from the brand’s garments to pieces already in their own wardrobes. ‘Born to be a Miu Miu Boy, forced to recreate the outfits’, say some of the captions accompanying these videos. The key to their success lies in their accessibility and ease of reproduction: who doesn’t have a blue polo shirt, a swimming costume and loafers in their wardrobe? Miuccia Prada has once again challenged the rules, creating combinations that are spontaneous, fresh and irresistibly attractive.
The popularity of this style among the younger generation is due to a break with the traditional codes of masculinity. The trend reflects a radical break with the conventions of men’s fashion, embracing a hybrid aesthetic that plays with the blurred lines between masculine and feminine. Miu Miu Boy challenges the rigidity and seriousness of classic menswear, fusing formal garments with more youthful, casual and even boyish ones. This aesthetic, which is also inspired by the brand’s historical archive, rescues pieces from the first men’s collections of 1999, such as nylon jackets combined with shorts and wool socks, an aesthetic that refers to the uniform of an English schoolboy and that has once again become relevant in the SS25 collection.
The Miu Miu Boy aesthetic is the result of a conversation between different trends and eras. Elements of preppy style (loafers, checked shirts) coexist with unexpected details that evoke the spirit of the street and rebellion. Suede jackets are combined with swimsuit-like shorts, while colourful briefs contrast shamelessly with the trousers. Miu Miu’s approach plays with layers of clothing in an irreverent way, breaking with formality and bringing the intimate to the forefront. The bodysuits from the collaboration with Petit Bateau, reminiscent of those worn by children, are combined with tailored trousers and technical fabrics, and the elastics of the boxers are elegantly revealed.
When it comes to materials, Miu Miu is known for its ability to create contrasts that, although at first glance seem disruptive, are precisely what give the collection its character. The Miu Miu Boy wears uncomplicated footwear, be it strappy derbies, boat shoes or sandals, a variety that underlines the versatility of the Miu Miu Boy. The collaboration with New Balance, which began in 2022, has allowed the brand to appeal to a wider audience, including sneakerhead communities. Accessories, such as eyewear, are another mainstay of this style. Whether rave sunglasses (as in the FW24 collection) or round-rimmed eyeglasses, they are the finishing touch to a look that plays with irony and non-conformism. In their more intellectual version, the glasses are combined with button-down cardigans or wool jackets, creating a nerdy image that embodies the essence of the brand.
The crumpled effect – a technique that Miuccia has perfected over the years – is another of the resources that define this aesthetic. Rather than seeking perfection in tailoring, the brand allows the garments to show the traces of everyday life, resulting in a deliberately imperfect style, unstructured but full of personality. The often rumpled pieces reflect an attitude of sophisticated nonchalance, a contrast between the natural and the carefully calculated. This effortless style is perfectly reflected in the FW24 collection, where the often crumpled garments show the authenticity of the lived-in.
According to Lyst‘s recent report, Miu Miu continues to establish itself as one of the most influential brands of the year, and its success is largely due to the incursion of a menswear line that is redefining contemporary dressing. Unlike Prada, which remains more on the margins of traditionally masculine style, Miu Miu has managed to create an interchangeable wardrobe proposition, blurring the boundaries between genders. This flexibility is why Prada’s younger sister resonates so much with Generation Z, whose values of inclusivity and gender fluidity align perfectly with the brand’s ethos. This approach is also reflected in the casting of the runway shows, which move away from traditional gender stereotypes. Each season’s faces are increasingly diverse and non-binaristic.
But who are these Miu Miu Boys really? A recent New York Times article attempted to unravel this question, interviewing some of the young people who are drawn to the style. Jake Weber, a young lawyer from New York, sums it up perfectly: ‘What I love about Miu Miu is that, even though it’s traditionally a women’s brand, when you walk into the shop you feel like everything is allowed. There are no restrictions. It can be for anyone, any age, any gender’. Celebrities who have embraced the style include A$AP Rocky, Omar Apollo and Offset. In addition, Kim Jones, creative director of Dior Homme, has been spotted wearing pieces from the brand on several occasions, cementing his influence in the world of men’s fashion.
However, the true ambassadors of this aesthetic are Troye Sivan and Willem Dafoe. Sivan, the queer pop star, walked the catwalk for the SS24 collection, while Dafoe, one of Hollywood’s greats, closed the SS25 show, becoming a true Miu Miu Boy at the age of 69. Without a doubt, Miu Miu’s return to the men’s world is not only a style statement, but a reaffirmation that fashion, like gender, has no boundaries. The return of the Miu Miu Boy is not only an aesthetic statement, but a declaration of principles: in fashion, as in life, there are no fixed rules. Miu Miu presents itself as the epicentre of a new masculinity – freer, more inclusive and certainly freer.
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