Prada’s Holiday 2026 Campaign Blends Hand-Drawn Animation with Star Power

Prada has introduced its Holiday 2026 campaign, titled “Drawing Prada,” which merges Hollywood talent, traditional animation, and whimsical winter scenery. The campaign stars Maya Hawke, Sadie Sink, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Chen Haoyu, and Luther Ford, and combines live-action photography with hand-drawn illustrations to create a visual world inspired by classic animated films and childhood storybooks.

Conceived under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, the project places craftsmanship and storytelling at the heart of Prada’s holiday presentation. Photographer and filmmaker Glen Luchford captures the actors within illustrated environments developed by veteran animator John Pomeroy and his team. Through a series of campaign images and short films, Prada explores a playful approach to luxury advertising that draws on the enduring appeal of traditional animation.

John Pomeroy Leads the Hand-Drawn Animation

A defining feature of the Holiday 2026 campaign is its use of traditional illustration to build the environments surrounding the cast. Pomeroy, whose animation credits include Disney’s “Pocahontas” and “Fantasia 2000,” leads the team responsible for bringing the campaign’s fictional landscapes and animal characters to life. The resulting imagery combines snowy forests, fantastical creatures, and festive scenes with contemporary fashion photography.

Rather than placing the actors against conventional studio backdrops, Prada integrates them into illustrated settings that evoke the atmosphere of a classic animated feature. Several scenes introduce playful interactions between the cast and their animated surroundings. In one , Sadie Sink encounters mice attempting to carry away a polka-dot Prada loafer, while another features Maya Hawke alongside an illustrated fox in a snowy landscape. These details give the campaign a narrative quality, allowing the house’s footwear and accessories to become part of the unfolding story.

Maya Hawke and Sadie Sink Headline the Campaign

Hawke and Sink lead an ensemble that also includes Harrison Jr., Haoyu, and Ford. The actors appear across a collection of still images and short-form footage, each set within the campaign’s hand-illustrated winter world. Luchford, who has worked with Prada since the 1990s, photographs the cast with careful attention to lighting, perspective, and composition. His images are designed to complement the illustrated environments, allowing the live-action figures and drawn characters to occupy the same visual space.

The combination creates a distinctive contrast between the realism of the photography and the imaginative quality of the animation. Instead of relying solely on product-focused imagery, the campaign uses individual scenes to establish character and atmosphere, presenting Prada’s holiday offering through a cinematic narrative. The short film extends this approach, introducing animated animals and other whimsical details around the cast’s clothing and accessories. The movement adds another dimension to the illustrated settings, reinforcing the campaign’s connection to traditional animated storytelling.

Prada Highlights the Value of Traditional Craftsmanship

Beyond its festive theme, “Drawing Prada” emphasizes the creative process behind the finished campaign. In behind-the-scenes footage released by the house, viewers can see elements of the development process, including storyboarding and the creation of illustrated backgrounds and characters. Pomeroy has highlighted the importance of maintaining traditional animation techniques, pointing to the value of human involvement in handcrafted work. His contribution gives the project a direct connection to an animation tradition built on drawing, artistic interpretation, and painstaking attention to detail.

The decision comes as fashion and advertising brands increasingly experiment with generative artificial intelligence in and video production. Against this backdrop, Prada’s use of hand-drawn animation offers a different approach to visual storytelling, foregrounding the work of artists rather than relying entirely on automated digital imagery. The campaign’s nostalgic aesthetic also aligns with its seasonal theme. Its illustrated animals, snowy landscapes, and playful encounters recall familiar elements of holiday entertainment while maintaining the contemporary visual language associated with Prada.

A Continuation of Prada’s Cinematic Holiday Storytelling

The Holiday 2026 project builds on Prada’s established interest in cinema and narrative-driven campaigns. Hawke also appeared in the house’s previous holiday campaign, “A Winter’s Tale,” photographed by Luchford. The latest release develops that connection by placing traditional animation at the center of its visual concept.

With Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons guiding the creative direction, “Drawing Prada” brings together fashion photography, illustration, and film to create a cohesive seasonal presentation. Its emphasis on handmade artistry distinguishes it from more conventional holiday campaigns, while the recognizable cast adds a contemporary entertainment dimension.

Prada’s Holiday 2026 campaign is presented through still imagery, short films, and behind-the-scenes footage, extending the project beyond a standard advertising rollout. By combining established animation techniques with luxury fashion, the house offers a festive narrative that celebrates both its products and the creative labor behind the images.