“A menacing paradise.” That’s how AMO, the Rem Koolhaas-helmed design firm that created the set for Prada’s spring 2014 men’s collection, describes the staging. “Models weave in front of a small abstract town that invades the show space…Modern murals are painted on the town facades: they represent a collection of abstract and graphic motives that shape the overall menacing atmosphere.”

If you’re sensing a troubled tropical vacation, you’re on the right track. Except, instead of a madcap Roman Holiday, think Holiday in Cambodia. The whirling sound of a helicopter, very menacing indeed, made it clear Miuccia Prada had been contemplating conflict zones and global hotspots as additions to her ever-evolving scenic repertoire.

Yet, instead of referencing these places in a derogatory way, or ham-handedly protesting the idea of war, Prada heavily abstracted and combined various vistas into prints and knits. In the end, a collaged impression was all that came through. A dark palette, palm trees, pin-up girls, Hawaiian shirts, unbuttoned double-breasted jackets, several women’s looks, lanky proportions, and spy-like briefcases all clashed and smashed into a surprisingly cohesive collection.