Miu Miu is Her Armor: Tales of Modern Amazons
- Eleonore Dlugosz Donnen
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
On 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, it is important to remember that sexual abuse and harassment are still too prevalent in our world. While some acts of violence repeated are extremely brutal, others may seem milder but share the same violent essence in nature.
Several short films by the Miu Miu (a luxury brand created by Miuccia Prada) denounce the act of street harassment and portray women defending themselves. These two obscure short films are included in a series called “Miu Miu Women's Tales.”
Miu Miu Women’s Tales.
For more than fifteen years, Miu Miu has created thirty episodes (two each year) thanks to a short film commission platform. All of the short films are directed by well-known female directors from around the world, from Japan to Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Croatia and even France. Women are represented in their most ethereal essence and in their most graceful clothes.
These short films convey numerous messages, with resilience often being a central theme. What may appear at first glance to be a random showcase, a simple and vulgar advertisement for Miu Miu's collections, has in fact become an annual rendez-vous between Miu Miu and women.
Each of these episodes is a form of investigation into women and their relationship with clothing as a relationship with others. Clothing of course plays a central role, with heels, clothes that reveal the skin, and certain materials such as tulle and cotton giving the garment a dimension on the woman. These works of art are honored by being presented at the Venice Film Festival in the Giornate degli Autori section before being made available online on YouTube or on the Miu Miu website.
Miu Miu Women’s Tales #22 - I and the Stupid Boy
I and the Stupid Boy is a French short film directed by Kaouther Ben Hania. It highlights women's vulnerability to street harassment, but also their resilience. A short film considered feminist and political, it accurately shows how clothing can be both a creative outlet for expression and also an issue for women.
The short film recounts an unpleasant moment for Nora, a young woman who is in love with a boy she met online and is about to meet in person. Euphoric and excited, we see her getting ready, putting on her make-up and trying on numerous outfits to find the one she wants to wear on her first date. In her glamourous bedroom, she depicts the different stages of a woman's preparation before leaving the house to see her beloved. Miu Miu is very present in this bedroom scene of course especially when Nora wears the whimsical silk dress. But where the brand is truly noticeable is in the choice of the final outfit. When she leaves, Nora wears a blouse crop top that reveals her skin, paired with grey jogging bottoms, contrasted with a stunning pair of white heeled sandals. She leaves, ready to meet this boy, but runs into an ex of hers. She finds herself alone in this abandoned building. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned, and the situation becomes threatening for Nora before she regains control.
From My Eyes
This short film will probably make you feel a little anxious at first. It's a situation that, as a woman, you will be able to understand: how being alone and approached in the street can easily escalate. When people enter your personal space, your intimacy may feel violated and therefore you could perceive a threat, your thoughts and feelings are heightened as you are forced into a defensive position.
Hania admits that she got the idea on the street where she was born, when she heard a young girl shouting at a boy to give her back her phone. Struck by this moment, she decided to use it as inspiration. The fear is very evident; Nora is vulnerable in front of this boy. Her outfit doesn't aid in her agility; although she is very well-groomed and dressed up, her heels can definitely slow her down in the event she needs to run. Her outfit is central to the film because, although when getting ready her clothes gave her courage, strength and a sense of beauty; very quickly, those attributions were reversed. Attempts are made to take that away from her and make her look like she does not belong, she’s too much, she’s not “correct.” That is also a story of resilience. She does not let herself be pushed around, she tries to regain control and she succeeds, but not without difficulty.
These shots make you feel beside her the whole time, we are not just close to her, we are her. We are being coquette with her at the beginning when she is getting ready, then, without time to process, we are frightened and vulnerable with her in the face of the danger. Behind her, we support her as she runs for her phone and herself to be safeguarded. In the end, we are relieved for her; we stay by her side from beginning to end. For those few minutes, Miu Miu truly offers a powerful and intense short film that sends a strong message, all while putting its own clothes centre stage.
Miu Miu Women’s Tales #27 - I am the Beauty of Your Beauty, I am the Fear of Your Fear
This Malaysian short film directed by Chui Mui Tan also focuses on the resilience of a Chinese woman. Gita left China to go to Malaysia to seek out a women's fight club. This coven is full of sisterhood, and the women train and fight each other in a fairly closed room. The viewer is treated to numerous fights, and even their training sessions have a gentle quality, like Amazonian warrior sisters. Gita, meanwhile, attempts to investigate her own identity and empowerment, an inner quest based on the art of combat, all with a very mystical feel brought about by the goddess Kali, who represents destruction but also change.
Gita fights against herself to find herself and overcome a tragedy from her past, and this involves self-defence. This is also a very present notion in our world. As women, in order to react and deal with everyday threats, we need to develop survival instincts, and self-defence classes have become increasingly popular.
From My Eyes
While the opening scenes focus on the art of combat, clothing seems to take a back seat. This proves that these short films, clearly bearing the Miu Miu stamp, are truly centred on women and not solely on the brand's products.
This episode in Malaysia is no exception to the rule. A calm and spiritual dimension envelops you, and despite its relatively short length, you will enjoy every second. The clothes come into their own in the central scene, when the women are fighting. It is at this moment that we can fully appreciate the talent of Miu Miu's seamstresses, embellishing the female fighters who come to confront the men. The clothes follow their movements and they look like real Amazon female warriors. I felt in fact very connected to what I was seeing. You almost want to fight alongside them and learn how to defend yourself like Gita does if danger occurs. The distance and lack of information on her persona between the spectators and Gita are not an obstacle. Not knowing her, but just seeing her evolve is enough to create a personal attachment. In each episode of Miu Miu, “relatability” is centerfold as we not only put ourselves in these women’s shoes: we become them. This episode is no exception. Already a great disciple of Chui Mui Tan, I am devoted to her art, and this Miu Miu opus reinforces my thinking.
The Core Message
While each episode of Miu Miu Women's Tales deals with extremely contemporary and aesthetic themes, Episodes 22 and 27 stand out as the most striking and enduring for me. They portray courageous women who, in the face of adversity, are capable of demonstrating the greatest resilience. Through the lens of Miu Miu, clothes do not just offer comfort but also serve as armor. An armor that sees women emerge as powerful and strong. On this sacred day when women and their struggles against sexual violence must be honored, such sort films are more than just add, those are tales of empowerment.
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