New Prada Boutique: Sleek, Refined Yet Very Restrained

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We've spent the last week unsuccessfully stalking the new Prada store at South Coast Plaza: on on occasion, we got all the way down there to find out the store was closed for a private function. And then we were trailed by an overzealous sales girl who made it impossible to take a few snaps. (She was really nice, though.) This weekend we managed to get inside and sneak a few shots.

Is it terrible to say we're a bit underwhelmed? It looks much more like the SCP Miu Miu store than it does any other Prada store. No Rem Koolhaas magic here. The store has a high-end utilitarian feel to it. It's not slouchy, in the least: it's just a whole lot more function than form. Part of our ennui, too, is that we just weren't on fire for the Spring'10 collection. We saw a few of the pieces we liked there, like the cropped jackets, the pieces with the palm tree prints, and the skirt made out of chunky crystals and wire. We also checked out those 'cheap' ($750 - $900) dresses that people were going bonkers for: on the hangers, minus the tulle petticoat, they just don't seem as special. Overall, the store is nice but not the work of art we were hoping it would be.
· Prada for Almost Nada [Racked LA]
· Now Open: Miu Miu at South Coast Plaza. For Real! [Racked LA]