The year was 2007 and the design studio 2X4 – a close, longtime collaborator of Prada – roped in Taiwanese-American artist James Jean to work on not only the label’s Spring Summer 2008 runway set and collection, but also wallpaper for its Epicentre store in Soho, New York. Then best known within the comics industry for his lush, twistedly surreal cover illustrations, Jean dreamt up a phantasmagorical art nouveau-style print – sinister fairies and all – that lent an unexpected, rebellious edge to gossamer, ’50s-inspired silk dresses, tunic tops and pants. The accompanying mural, “Florid”, was a watercolour-like panorama of wild blooms and nymphs that swept all 60m of one side of the boutique’s interior.