Key Takeaways
- Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins makes his fashion debut with Prada's Fall/Winter 2026 'Simple Stories' campaign, bringing a cinematic eye to imagery that treats clothes as another character in the story.
- Starring Hunter Schafer, Troye Sivan, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Chen Haoyu, the stills and short film capture quiet, domestic vignettes where gestures and everyday moments turn Prada's womenswear and menswear into expressions of individuality.
- The project extends Prada’s long-running ties to cinema and arrives as Jenkins' profile continues to rise off the back of Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk, Mufasa: The Lion King, and several high-profile upcoming films.
Barry Jenkins, the acclaimed Oscar-winning director behind Moonlight, is making his fashion world debut for Prada via its Simple Stories Fall/Winter 2026 campaign.
The new campaign, which highlights the women's and men's collection by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, is supported by some major stars in both still images and a short campaign video, which can be seen above.
The campaign, which stars Chen Haoyu, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Hunter Schafer, and Troye Sivan, offers a glimpse into how clothes act as self-expression even in the quieter moments for the talent involved.
Ferdinando Verderi served as the creative director for the campaign, while Jenkins brought his cinematic eye to the visuals.
The collaboration also acts as a nod to Prada’s history in cinema, whether it’s Miuccia Prada designing the costumes for Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby with costume designer Catherine Martin, or the short movies they've made with filmmakers such as David O. Russell and Wes Anderson.
Other filmmakers who have worked with the brand include Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos, Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn, and Alien director Ridley Scott.
Barry Jenkins might only have four directorial efforts to his name, but he's made a huge impact ever since his breakthrough to the mainstream with his touching queer drama Moonlight.
The movie picked up seven nominations at the Academy Awards in 2017, ultimately winning Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali, and Best Adapted Screenplay. His follow-up, If Beale Street Could Talk, also earned three nominations in 2019 and won Best Supporting Actress for Regina King’s performance.
In the years since, he's directed the CGI-animated Mufasa: The Lion King, and produced several acclaimed films including Aftersun and Sorry, Baby. He’s also currently attached to direct the Ronettes biopic Be My Baby, with Zendaya in the lead role, and the sci-fi movie The Natural Order, which is set to star Glen Powell.
