Prada

Italian Luxury Fashion

Prada is an Italian luxury fashion house specialising in the production of leather goods such as handbags, fashion and travel accessories, shoes and ready to wear clothing. It also produces eyewear and men and womens fragrances under licence to Luxottica and L’Oreal respectively.

Where It All Began

The company was founded by Mario Prada and his brother Martino back in 1913 under the original name of Fratelli Prada. In the beginning the leather goods shop in Milan sold English steamer trunks and handbags which they had imported.
Despite Mario preventing female family members from joining the company based on his belief that women do not belong in business, his daughter Luisa joined the company and ran it for almost 20 years before her daughter, Miuccia, took over from her, in 1978.

The Company’s New Direction

In 1977 Miuccia met Patrizio Bertelli, 24 year old Patrizio had his own leather goods business, but joined the company as a Business Manager. Miuccia began to put her creativity into play, making waterproof backpacks from a strong military material her Grandfather had once used to line the steamer trunks; she followed Patrizio’s advice to stop importing English luggage.

It is Miuccia’s ideas which would change the House of Prada, although a lack of marketing and high prices meant the products were not an instant success, over time they increased in popularity and became the company’s first commercial success.

Following on from this success the next stage for Miuccia and Bertelli was to find and secure wholesale accounts in department stores and boutiques worldwide.

Expansion across the globe

By 1983 the company was able to open its second boutique, in the heart of Milan’s shopping district, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.
This year was to be a busy one for the house, not only did they launch their next big release, the Nylon Tote they also began their expansion across Europe and the United States. Boutiques were opened in major shopping cities including Florence, Madrid, Paris and ofcourse New York City.

Moving on to 1985, the ‘Classic Prada Handbag’ was released and became an instant overnight sensation. It is this product with its sleek lines and craftsmanship that has become the luxurious Prada signature.
The brand’s popularity kept on growing with the launch of its women’s ready to wear collection featuring clean lines, opulent fabrics and basic colours.

From a small family run shop to influential fashion.
Thanks to its original style and ‘working class’ theme, the brand became one of the most influential fashion houses during the 1990’s. Miuccia and Bertelli got married and led the label through a cautious expansion, which made the products hard to come by and by 1993 Prada had been awarded the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) award for accessories.
With its original style being popular amongst the high-tech, business types, the company wanted to appeal to younger consumers as well as celebrities. Named after Miuccia’s nickname, the high fashion brand Miu Miu was created and launched with a collection of cowgirl-themed fringed suede jackets and patchwork prairie skirts.

A Sporting Passion

Patrizio’s passion for sailing led to the creation of the 1997 America’s Cup team, Team Luna Rossa. The company’s role in the America’s Cup was not to end there as on the 28th September 2017, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron announced that Prada would be the hosting sponsor of the Challenger Selection Series at the 2021 America’s Cup. It was to be held in Auckland, New Zealand and renamed the Prada Cup instead of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

Runway Shows

Each season of the international fashion calendar, the company hosts its runway shows, usually in Milan and at one of its spaces. In 2019, its runway show was shown in New York City at its headquarters and broadcast across screens in Times Square. The brand has used an array of models for its shows, but also featured a selection of actors for their menswear campaigns. Actors include Norman Reedus, Adrien Brody, Gary Oldman and Emile Hirsch.

A Cutting Edge Style

Since its beginnings in 1913, the company has been identifiable as cutting edge style that goes beyond trends and has become the gauge for those who dare to challenge conventional fashion.

The designers draw inspiration from unconventional studies of our society, which give birth to style statements from industries such as photography, film and art, not areas you would particularly associate with fashion. The end result is creations that come from unusual perspectives.

Website: www.prada.com Founder: Mario Prada Founded: 1913 Headquarters: Milan, Italy