Miu Miu embarks on voyage of self-discovery in surreal short

Sakura Ando in Miu Miu’s “Seed”

Prada’s Miu Miu is celebrating Asian femininity by transporting consumers to Japan through film.

“Seed,” directed by Naomi Kawase, weaves an enchanting tale of Sakura Ando, a free spirited young woman who journeys from the untouched nature of Nara to bustling Tokyo. The eleventh commissioned film project in Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales series, the nine-minute short speaks to themes of self-discovery and a universal spirit.

“Miu Miu continues to be a sensual and rebellious creative playground for fashion and film, increasingly intertwining socially conscious issues in its collections, media and messaging,” said Paul Farkas, co-founder/CEO of Accessory 2 and Athleisure Mag, New York. “The Women’s Tales series continues to be dramatic, yet playful love affair on cue with the dynamic ethos of the brand.

“The house self-describes as evoking an unexpected jilted modernity, artfully shown here in Naomi Kawase’s short,” he said. “Much is focused on maintaining mindfulness through the contrast of nature and city life.

“As with an a apple or remnant of fabric in the storyline, fans are challenged to slow down, reflect upon and cherish each lifestyle, humanity, relationships and coveted items they have or attain.”

Mr. Farkas is not affiliated with Miu Miu, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Miu Miu did not respond before press deadline.

Making an impact
Seed opens on a nighttime scene with shots of mostly still water. When the audience first sees Sakura, her feet are shown walking the length of a dock.

As the scene lightens, the protagonist is shown sitting on the same dock, her eyes fixed to the sky as she watches a group of birds. In time lapse, Sakura is captured contorting her body across the platform, tilting her head back to face upside down.

She continues her back-bending maneuvers at the base of a waterfall, wearing a see-through chiffon skirt from the brand’s spring/summer 2016 collection, paired with structured pieces from the same season, including an oxford shirt and diamond-print jacket. The scene changes, and Sakura is seen traipsing up a hill. When she reaches the top, she approaches a tree, jumping up to reach its branches and capturing a single seed in the process.

As she dances freely on the hill, giggling to herself, a man appears, standing to the side by a tree. She hands him her seed, and he replies by passing her an apple, making a barter deal.

Behind the scenes of Seed

Next seen at a train station, Sakura stands out among the fast-moving crowds as she stands immobile, bending over to see the world upside down, the apple dangling from her mouth.

Outside on a street, Sakura encounters a homeless man and stops, eventually tossing her apple to him.

After her original barter, she negotiates another swap, this time seeking a piece of chiffon the man has in his cart.

Behind the scenes of Miu Miu’s Seed

Sakura proceeds to twirl with the gauzy textile, convincing her companion to join her as they toss the fabric up in the air. Over a soundtrack composed by folk band Sakanation, she asks him questions such as where he came from and what he sees, to which he gives poetic responses.

Again in nature, Sakura is fascinated by the falling leaves. Picking one up, she raises her arms up at the sun, saying, “Birth. Beginning. Thanks.”

Seed – Miu Miu Women’s Tales #11

Universal appeal
Through Prada’s Women’s Tales, the brand depicts a global view of femininity through the work of international artists.

Miu Miu explored the mystical powers clothing holds through its 10th Women’s Tales film, directed by Agnès Varda, credited as a leader of French New Wave cinema.

“Les 3 Boutons” tells the story of Jasmine, a 14-year-old girl whose chance encounter with a surprise parcel containing a gigantic ball gown leads her on a surreal adventure through an ordinary town. This film speaks to the transformative possibilities of a single small detail of apparel that stretches beyond style, a fitting message for the fashion label to align itself with (see story).

The release of new Women’s Tales films has become something of a tradition at New York Fashion Week, and one which it continued with its most recent premiere.

In 2014, Miu Miu engaged the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week festivities with a screening of its latest “Women’s Tales” film.

“Spark and Light,” directed by Korean American So Yong Kim, premiered on Feb. 11 in New York, with online content created surrounding the release. Since Prada is an Italian brand, and shows all of its Miu Miu collections in Paris, this was an opportunity for Prada to be a part of New York Fashion Week and stay top of mind for consumers as its runway shows are approaching (see story).

“The cinematography [in 'Seed'] is surreal and will leave viewers feeling empowered and refreshed,” Mr. Farkas said. “Miu Miu has a big global footprint, embracing acclaimed international directors will resonate high regionally, and also enlighten far reaching audiences.

“In this way, house heritage and social issues are demonstrated together at top scale, with feminimity paradoxically cast as personal and together, confident yet complex,” he said. “The series will encourage shoppers to discover more about the house and passionate loyalists to re-covet their favorite pieces, both groups assuredly towards building bigger closets and wishlists.”

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