Not to be confused with Pravda.
Prada Fifth Avenue, Manhattan |
|
Type | Public (S.p.A.) |
---|---|
Traded as |
SEHK: 1913 |
Industry | Fashion |
Founded | 1913; 110 years ago (as Fratelli Prada) |
Founder | Mario Prada |
Headquarters |
|
Number of locations |
635+ boutiques |
Area served |
Worldwide |
Key people |
Miuccia Prada (CEO and head designer) Alessandra Cozzani (CFO) |
Products | Luxury goods |
Revenue | |
Operating income |
|
Net income |
|
Total assets | |
Total equity | |
Number of employees |
13,140 (2021)[1] |
Subsidiaries |
|
Website | prada.com |
Prada S.p.A. (, PRAH-də; Italian: [ˈpraːda]) is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1913 in Milan by Mario Prada. It specializes in leather handbags, travel accessories, shoes, ready-to-wear, and other fashion accessories. Prada licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear[2] and L’Oréal for fragrances.[3]
History[edit]
Founding[edit]
Tooled leather handbag made by Prada, 1935-45 (RISD Museum)
The company was started in 1913 by Mario Prada and his brother Martino as Fratelli Prada, a leather goods shop in Milan.[4][5] Initially, the shop sold animal goods, imported English steamer trunks, and handbags.
Mario Prada did not believe women should have a role in business, so he prevented female family members from entering his company. Ironically, Mario’s son had no interest in the business, so it was Mario’s daughter Luisa who succeeded Mario and ran Prada for almost twenty years. Luisa’s daughter, Miuccia Prada, joined the company in 1970, eventually taking over from Luisa in 1978.[citation needed]
Miuccia began making waterproof backpacks out of Pocono, a nylon fabric.[4] She met Patrizio Bertelli in 1977, an Italian who had begun his own leather goods business at the age of 24, and he joined the company soon after. He advised Miuccia on company business, which she followed. It was his advice to discontinue importing English goods and to change the existing luggage.[citation needed]
Development[edit]
Miuccia inherited the company in 1978 by which time sales were up to U.S. $450,000. With Bertelli alongside her as business manager, Miuccia was allowed time to implement her creativity in the company’s designs.[4] She would go on to incorporate her ideas into the house of Prada that would change it.[4]
She released her first set of backpacks and totes in 1979. They were made out of a tough military spec black nylon that her grandfather had used as coverings for steamer trunks. Initial success was not instant, as they were hard to sell due to the lack of advertising and high prices, but the lines would go on to become her first commercial hit.
Next, Miuccia and Bertelli sought out wholesale accounts for the bags in upscale department stores and boutiques worldwide. In 1983, Prada opened a second boutique in the centre of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan’s shopping heart, on the site of the previous historic «London House» emporium run by Felice Bellini from 1870 to the 1960s, reminiscent of the original shop, but with a sleek and modern contrast to it.
The next big release was a nylon tote. That same year, the house of Prada began expansion across continental Europe and the United States by opening locations in prominent shopping districts within Florence, Paris, Madrid, and New York City. A shoe line was also released in 1984. In 1985 Miuccia released the «classic Prada handbag» that became an overnight sensation. Although practical and sturdy, its sleek lines and craftsmanship had a luxury that has become the Prada signature.
In 1987, Miuccia and Bertelli married. Prada launched its women’s ready-to-wear collection in 1988, and the designs came to be known for their dropped waistlines and narrow belts. Prada’s popularity increased when the fashion world took notice of its clean lines, opulent fabrics, and basic colors.
The logo for the label was not as obvious a design element as those on bags from other prominent luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton. It tried to market its lack of prestigious appeal, including of its apparel, by projecting an image of «anti-status» or «inverse snobbery».
1990s[edit]
Prada’s originality made it one of the most influential fashion houses,[4] and the brand became a premium status symbol in the 1990s.
Sales were reported at L 70 billion, or US$31.7 million, in 1998.[citation needed] Patrizio di Marco took charge of the growing business in the United States after working for the house in Asia. He was successful in having the Prada bags prominently displayed in department stores, so that they could become a hit with fashion editors. Prada’s continued success was attributed to its «working-class» theme which, Ginia Bellafante at The New York Times Magazine proclaimed, «was becoming chic in the high-tech, IPO-driven early 1990s.» Furthermore, now husband and wife, Miuccia and Bertelli led the Prada label on a cautious expansion, making products hard to come by.
In 1992, the high fashion brand Miu Miu, named after Miuccia’s nickname, launched. Miu Miu catered to younger consumers and celebrities. By 1993 Prada was awarded the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) award for accessories.[4]
The first ready-to-wear menswear collection was Spring/Summer 1998.[6] By 1994, sales were at US$210 million, with clothing sales accounting for 20% (expected to double in 1995). Prada won another award from the CFDA, in 1995 as a «designer of the year» 1996 witnessed the opening of the 18,000 ft² Prada boutique in Manhattan, New York, the largest in the chain at the time. By now the House of Prada operated in 40 locations worldwide, 20 of which were in Japan. The company owned eight factories and subcontracted work from 84 other manufacturers in Italy. Prada’s and Bertelli’s respective businesses were merged to create Prapar B.V. in 1996. The name, however, was later changed to Prada B.V., and Patrizio Bertelli was named Chief Executive Officer of the Prada luxury company.
1996 can also be seen as marking an important turning point in Prada’s aesthetics, one that fueled the brand’s worldwide reputation. Journalists praised Miuccia’s development of an “ugly chic” style, which initially confused customers by offering blatantly unsexy outfits which then revealed to offer daring and original takes on the relationship between fashion and desire.[7] Since then Prada has been regarded as one of the most intelligent and conceptual designers.
In 1997, Prada posted revenue of US$674 million. Another store in Milan opened that same year. According to The Wall Street Journal, Bertelli smashed the windows of the store a day before the opening, after he had become deeply unsatisfied with the set-up. Bertelli also acquired shares in the Gucci group, and later blamed Gucci for «aping his wife’s designs.» In June 1998, Bertelli gained 9.5% return on investment at US$260 million.[8] Analysts began to speculate that he was attempting a take over of the Gucci group. The proposition seemed unlikely, however, because Prada was at the time still a small company and was in debt. Funding Universe states that «At the very least, Prada had a voice as one of Gucci’s largest shareholders (a 10 percent holding would be required for the right to request a seat on the board) and would stand to profit tidily should anyone try to take over Gucci.» However, Bertelli sold his shares to Moët-Hennessy • Louis Vuitton chairman Bernard Arnault in January 1998 for a profit of US$140 million. Arnault was in fact attempting a take over of Gucci. LVMH had been purchasing fashion companies for a while and already owned Dior, Givenchy, and other luxury brands. Gucci, however, managed to fend him off by selling a 45% stake to industrialist François Pinault, for US$3 billion.[citation needed] In 1998, the first Prada menswear boutique opened in Los Angeles.
Prada was determined to hold a leading portfolio of luxury brands, like the Gucci group and LVMH. Prada purchased 51% of Helmut Lang’s company based in New York for US$40 million in March 1999.[citation needed] Lang’s company was worth about US$100 million. Months later, Prada paid US$105 million to have full control of Jil Sander A.G., a German-based company with annual revenue of US$100 million. The purchase gained Prada a foothold in Germany, and months later Jil Sander resigned as chairwoman of her namesake company. Church & Company, an English shoemaker, also came under the control of Prada, when Prada bought 83% of the company for US$170 million.[citation needed] A joint venture between Prada and the De Rigo group was also formed that year to produce Prada eyewear. In October 1999, Prada joined with LVMH and beat Gucci to buy a 51% stake in the Rome-based Fendi S.p.A. Prada’s share of the purchase (25.5%) was worth US$241.5 million out of the reported US$520 million total paid by both Prada and LVMH.[citation needed] Prada took on debts of Fendi, as the latter company was not doing well financially.
These acquisitions elevated Prada to the top of the luxury goods market in Europe. Revenue tripled from that of 1996, to L2 trillion.[citation needed] Despite apparent success, the company was still in debt.
2000s[edit]
The company’s merger and purchasing sprees slowed in the 2000s. However, the company signed a loose agreement with Azzedine Alaia. Skincare products in unit doses were introduced in the United States, Japan, and Europe in 2000. A 30-day supply of cleansing lotion was marketed at the retail price of US$100. To help pay off debts of over US$850 million, the company planned on listing 30% of the company on the Milan Stock Exchange in June 2001. However, the offering slowed down after a decline in spending on luxury goods in the United States and Japan. In 2001, under the pressure of his bankers, Bertelli sold all of Prada’s 25.5% share in Fendi to LVMH. The sale raised only US$295 million.
By 2006, the Helmut Lang, Amy Fairclough, Ghee, and Jil Sander labels were sold. Jil Sander was sold to the private equity firm Change Capital Partners, which was headed by Luc Vandevelde, the chairman of Carrefour, while the Helmut Lang label is now owned by Japanese fashion company Link Theory. Prada is still recovering from the Fendi debt. More recently, a 45% stake of the Church & Company brand has been sold to Equinox.
The Prada Spring/Summer 2009 Ready-to-Wear fashion show, held on 23 September 2008 in Milan, got infamous coverage because all the models on the catwalk were tottering[9] – several of them stumbled,[10] while two models fell down in front of the photographers and had to be helped by spectators to get up.[11] They removed their shoes in order to continue their walk.[12][13] One more model (Sigrid Agren) even had to stop and go back during the finale walk as she couldn’t manage walking in her high heels any longer.[14] Interviewed right after the show, one model declared: «I was having a panic attack, my hands were shaking. The heels were so high.»[15]
The designer Miuccia Prada, on her side, did not blame the height of the shoes, but the silk little socks inside, which were slippery and moved inside of the shoes, preventing the models’ feet from having a correct grip on the sole.[16][17] Miuccia Prada also assured that the shoes sold in stores would have a lower heel,[18] and that the little socks would be sewn into the shoes in order to prevent further slips. But many fashionistas rightly claimed that the socks, once sewn into the shoes, would be non-washable and would quickly stink and become grey.[19] Consequently, the shoes have never been commercially sold.
2010s[edit]
According to Fortune, Bertelli planned on increasing revenue of the company to US$5 billion by 2010.
On May 6, 2011, Hong Kong Stock Exchange was accused on approving Prada’s IPO during Prada Gender Discrimination Case which Prada was ultimately to win. Feminist NGOs and Hong Kong Legislative Council lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan protested in front of Hong Kong Stock Exchange.[20][21][22][23][24][25]
On June 24, 2011, the brand was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to raise $2.14 billion, but failed to meet expectations reported by AAP on June 17, 2011[26] and Bloomberg.[27]
In 2015, Prada’s turnover was 3,551.7 million euros, up 1 percent from 2014, while its gross operating profit fell 16.5 percent to 954.2 million euros.[28]
In July 2016, Prada clothing became available to purchase online for the first time through Net-a-Porter and Mytheresa.[29]
As of March 2018, Prada’s sales turned positive after declining since 2014, and their stock jumped 14% at the news.[30]
Stating that Prada would be «(f)ocusing on innovative materials will allow the company to explore new boundaries of creative design while meeting the demand for ethical products,» the company announced in 2019 that fur will be eliminated from the collection and all house brands as of 2020.[31]
2020s[edit]
In February 2020, Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli named the Belgian designer Raf Simons as co-creative director.[32]
In August 2020, the fashion house announced it would no longer use kangaroo leather in its products.[33]
In 2020, fashion magazine Vanity Teen promoted its Prada Resort 21 campaign.[34]
Businesses today[edit]
Runway shows[edit]
Prada hosts seasonal runway shows on the international fashion calendar, taking place in Milan often at one of the brand’s spaces.
1988 – first womenswear show in Milan
1998 – first menswear show in Milan[35]
Resort 2019 was shown in New York City at Prada’s New York headquarters.[36] The show was broadcast over screens in Times Square.[37]
Previous Prada models include Daria Werbowy, Gemma Ward, Vanessa Axente, Suvi Koponen, Ali Stephens, Vlada Roslyakova and Sasha Pivovarova, who went on to appear in Prada’s ad campaigns for six consecutive seasons after opening the Prada fall 2005 runway show. Prada has also featured many actors as models in their menswear shows and campaigns, including Gary Oldman, Adrien Brody, Emile Hirsch[38] and Norman Reedus.[39]
Prada’s runway music is designed by Frédéric Sanchez.[40]
Boutiques[edit]
Tokyo Epicenter by Herzog & de Meuron
Prada has commissioned architects, most notably Rem Koolhaas and Herzog & de Meuron, to design flagship stores in various locations.
1913 – The original Prada store opened in Milan in inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.[41]
1919 – Prada was appointed Official Supplier to the Italian Royal Household; as such, it incorporated the House of Savoy’s coat of arms and knotted rope design into its logo.
1983 – Retail expansion sees a new boutique opened in Milan, as well as New York, Madrid, London, Paris, and Tokyo.
1991 – Further retail expansion and more boutiques open in New York City, China, and Japan.[42]
2001 – Broadway Epicenter in New York City by OMA opens.[43]
2003 – Tokyo Epicenter by Herzog & de Meuron[44] opens.[45]
2004 – Los Angeles Epicenter by OMA group opens.[46] Restored in 2012.
2008 – A duplex megastore was opened in Kuala Lumpur at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.
2009 – A new store focussing on the Prada Made to Order collection opened on Corso Venezia, Milan, designed by architect Robert Baciocchi.[47]
2012 – In June, Prada opened its largest ever boutique in Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates.[48]
Other activities[edit]
Costume design[edit]
In 2007, Miuccia Prada contributed costume designs for two digital characters in the CGI film Appleseed Ex Machina.[49]
In 2010, Giuseppe Verdi’s Attila premiered at New York’s Metropolitan Opera with costumes by Miuccia Prada.[50]
In 2013, Miuccia Prada designed costumes for Baz Luhrmann’s film The Great Gatsby in collaboration with costume designer Catherine Martin.[51]
Eyewear[edit]
2000 – Eyewear launched under Prada and Miu Miu labels, manufactured by Luxottica.[42]
Perfumes[edit]
2004 – Fragrance launched with the Puig company.[52] Women’s fragrances were followed by men’s fragrances in 2006.
- PRADA for women, 2004
- Tendre for women, 2006
- PRADA Amber pour Homme (Prada Man) for men, 2006[53]
- Benjoin (Essence exclusive N°9) for women, 2007
- Infusion d’Iris for women, 2007
- Infusion d’Homme for men, 2008
- L’eau ambrée for women, 2009
- Prada Amber pour Homme Intense for men, 2011[54]
- Prada Candy for women, 2011
- Prada Olfactories collection, 2015[55]
- La Femme Prada for women and L’Homme Prada for men, 2016[56]
- La Femme Prada Intense for women and L’Homme Prada Intense for men, 2017[57]
- La Femme Prada L’eau for women, 2017[58]
Mobile phone[edit]
In May 2007, Prada began producing mobile phones with LG Electronics. Three mobile phones resulted from this collaboration: LG Prada (KE850), LG Prada II (KF900) and LG Prada 3.0.
Watches[edit]
Production of watches started in 2007 and was suspended in 2012. One of the watch models produced by Prada, the Prada Link, is compatible with bluetooth technology and can connect with the LG Prada II mobile phone.[59]
Prada in popular culture[edit]
Films[edit]
The 1999 feature film 10 Things I Hate About You features the following exchange extolling the virtues of Prada ownership:[60]
Bianca: You know, there’s a difference between like and love. I like my Skechers but I love my Prada backpack.
Chastity: But I love my Skechers.
Bianca: That’s because you don’t have a Prada backpack.
— 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
The 2006 feature film The Devil Wears Prada (based on the 2003 book of the same name written by Lauren Weisberger) earned Meryl Streep an Oscar nomination for her role. Her shoe wardrobe for the film was said to be «at least 40% Prada» by the costume designer Patricia Field.[61] Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue and the supposed inspiration for Meryl Streep’s character, wore Prada to the film’s premiere.[62]
Art[edit]
In 2005, a false Prada boutique was built as an art installation 26 miles away from Marfa, Texas. Called «Prada Marfa,» the purpose of the structure was to eventually disintegrate into its surroundings. Shoes and bags were provided by Miuccia Prada from the Summer Season 2005 collection.[63] The installation was looted after being completed, and the restoration needed led to a revise in plans, making the structure a permanent installation.[64]
Philanthropy and sponsoring[edit]
Arts and architecture[edit]
Inaugurated in 2000, Prada’s Milan Headquarters are located in a former industrial space between via Bergamo and Via Fogazzaro.[65] An art installation by Carsten Höller that takes the form of a three-story metal slide leads from Miuccia Prada’s office to the interior courtyard.[66]
Completed in 2002, Prada’s New York City Headquarters open, located in a former Times Square piano factory renovated by the Herzog & de Meuron architecture firm.[67]
2003 – «Garden-Factories» Project – Prada collaborates with architect Guido Canali to rejuvenate the landscape surrounding their manufacturers.[42]
In 2004, «Waist Down – Skirts by Miuccia Prada» bowed at the Tokyo Epicenter. A traveling exhibition featuring 100 skirts designed by Miuccia Prada and conceived by curator Kayoko Ota of AMO in collaboration with Mrs. Prada, the exhibition went on to Shanghai, New York, Los Angeles and Seoul.[68]
Completed in 2009, Prada commissioned an unusual multi-purpose building from Rem Koolhaas’s OMA group called the Prada Transformer in Seoul.[69] The building was first used to display the «Waist Down – Skirts by Miuccia Prada» exhibition, and later changed into a movie theater.
In 2012, Mrs. Prada, along with designer Elsa Schiaparelli, was the subject of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition, «Impossible Conversations».[70] The Los Angeles Epicenter was also restored in 2012.[71]
In 2014, an exhibition called «Pradasphere» bowed in London’s Harrods and Hong Kong’s Central Ferry Pier 4, highlighting the Prada universe.[72]
In 2015, Prada opened a permanent home for Fondazione Prada in Milan. Located in a former distillery redesigned by Rem Koolhaas’s OMA group, it hosts a permanent collection of site-specific art as well as galleries of rotating exhibits. Intended to act as a gathering space for the local community,[73] it also features a performance space, movie theater, bookstore, and a cafe – Bar Luce,[74] with an interior designed by director Wes Anderson.[75]
In 2016, after 6 years of restoration Prada opened an events space in a historic residence in the Rong Zhai district of Shanghai, China.[76]
[edit]
Patrizio Bertelli’s passion for sailing led Prada to form Team Luna Rossa in 1997 in order to participate in the America’s Cup.[42] On September 28, 2017 it was announced by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron[77] that Prada will be the hosting sponsor of Challenger Selection Series at the 2021 America’s Cup, superseding the role of Louis Vuitton started in 1983.
The Challenger Selection Series that was the Louis Vuitton Cup, will now be known as the Prada Cup, and the America’s Cup Match will be presented by Prada. It will be held in Auckland, New Zealand, January 2021.
Environmental sustainability[edit]
The luxury Group, Prada, allied with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in 2019 to introduce an ‘educational program’, SEA BEYOND, about sea-peservation. [78] The rationale behind such an educational project is to sensibilize the youth and make them aware of ‘ocean pollution’ and the importance of preserving the sea. [79] At the Sustainable Fashion Awards 2022, the project SEA BEYOND, which simultaneously included ‘ocean-literacy’ and ‘sustainable fashion’, received an award.[79]
Controversies[edit]
Prada Female Discrimination Case[edit]
Prada Female Discrimination Case was the first women’s rights lawsuit and movement of luxury fashion industry that appeared in the global media in 2010. It was named “David vs. Goliath” by the global NGOs leader. The Prada Female Discrimination Case occurred 10 years before the Me Too movement and was started by fashion executive, Rina Bovrisse.[80][81]
On December 10, 2009, Bovrisse filed a lawsuit against Prada Japan accusing them of discriminating against women in the workplace.[82][83] Prada Luxembourg (where the trademark is registered) countersued for defamation, stating «voicing women’s rights damaged Prada’s brand logo.»[84][85][86][87]
In May 2011, the Feminists rallied outside the Tsim She Tsui branch of Prada, calling on the Hong Kong exchange to veto the brand’s initial public offering (IPO).[88] In May 2012, a Labour Network Monitoring Asian Transnational Corporations issued a letter against LVMH Group on appointing Sebastian Suhl as COO of Givenchy while he was in the case of sexual harassment in Japan and Luxembourg.[89] In October 2012, Tokyo District Court Judge Reiko Morioka ruled in favor of Prada, saying their alleged discrimination was “acceptable for a luxury fashion label.”[90] Bovrisse claimed the court was not fair and accused the judge of screaming at her. Bovrisse took her discrimination claims to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.[91] The committee, without mentioning Bovrisse, did issue a report to the Japanese Government urging them to enact regulations that would make sexual harassment in the workplace illegal.[86][87][92][93][94][95][96]
Labor rights[edit]
Prada is the main buyer from the Turkish leather factory DESA, which was found guilty by the Turkish Supreme Court of illegally dismissing workers who joined a union.[97] The Clean Clothes Campaign, a labor rights organization based in Europe, has called on Prada to ensure that freedom of association is respected at the factory.[98] On January 30, 2013, Clean Clothes Campaign reported, «Trade Union Harassment Continues at Prada Supplier».[99]
Ostrich leather[edit]
In February 2015, a report in The New York Times by Charles Curkin was published about the use of ostrich leather by luxury fashion brands and the brutal methods by which it is removed from the flightless birds. It was based on a months-long investigation conducted by PETA and namechecked Prada as one of fashion’s key brands dealing in products made from ostrich skin.[100]
Blackface imagery[edit]
On December 14, 2018, Prada was forced to pull a new range of accessories and displays from its stores following complaints that they featured «blackface imagery.» Prada scrapped the products after outrage spread online when a New Yorker spotted the character at the Prada’s Soho store and blasted the brand for using «Sambo like imagery» in a viral Facebook post.[101]
Prada stated in a tweet in response, «Prada Group never had the intention of offending anyone and we abhor all forms of racism and racist imagery. In this interest we will withdraw the characters in question from display and circulation.»[101]
In response to the incident, Prada assembled a diversity and inclusion advisory council co-chaired by Ava DuVernay and Theaster Gates.[102]
Investigation on tax evasion[edit]
As of 2014, Prada was being investigated by Italian prosecutors for possible tax evasion after the luxury-goods company disclosed undeclared taxable income. Prada SpA Chairman Miuccia Prada, Chief Executive Officer Patrizio Bertelli and accountant Marco Salomoni have been named in the probe, which is for possible undeclared or false tax claims.[103] The chairwoman of Prada faced an investigation after it was alleged the company avoided nearly £400 million in tax by transferring services abroad.[citation needed] Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper said on Friday Prada and Bertelli had paid 420 million euros ($571 million) to Italy’s tax agency to settle their tax affairs. Despite the settlement, an investigation continued.[104] As of 2016, prosecutors requested the case be dropped as the debt had been settled.[105]
See also[edit]
- Lavender Prada dress of Uma Thurman, a 1995 dress worn to the Academy Awards
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(Miuccia Prada’s) long-term collaborator Frederic Sanchez’s auditory accompaniment was composed of ghostly snatches and layers of jazz, which he defined as ‘A disorientation of time, where your head is full of memories – fragments of a life.’
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- ^ «Orologi Prada, The Link con tecnologia Bluetooth». Archived from the original on November 12, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
- ^ Quotes from «10 Things I Hate About You», retrieved 24 May 2018
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External links[edit]
Media related to Prada at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website
- Prada – brand and company profile at Fashion Model Directory
- Prada Logo SVG — Unofficial
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Prada | |
Тип |
Частная компания |
---|---|
Год основания |
1913 |
Основатели |
Марио Прада |
Расположение |
|
Ключевые фигуры |
Миучча Прада |
Отрасль |
Потребительские товары |
Продукция |
Текстиль, одежда, парфюмерия, аксессуары |
Сайт |
www.prada.com |
Prada (произносится Прада) — известная итальянская частная компания, специализирующаяся на производстве модной одежды, обуви и аксессуаров, которой принадлежат одноимённые дом моды и торговая марка. Штаб-квартира расположена в Милане.
Содержание
- 1 История
- 1.1 Слияния и поглощения
- 2 Мобильный телефон LG Prada
- 3 Архитектура
- 4 Бутики и магазины
- 5 Prada в культуре
- 6 Примечания
- 7 Ссылки
История
История торговой марки началась в Милане, в 1913 году, когда Марио Прада — основатель бренда, открыл небольшой магазинчик по реализации элегантных дорожных сумок. Применяя экзотическую мягкую кожу моржей, Марио удалось привлечь внимание влиятельных клиентов по всему миру. Тогда компания носила название «Fratelli Prada» («Братья Прада»). В 1958 году руководство компанией взяла на себя дочка Марио Прада — Луиза.
В 1970 году коллекции одежды от Prada стали продаваться не только в Европе, но и в Америке. Изысканные аристократические сумки, декорированные кристаллами, а также украшенные редкими породами дерева и панцирем черепахи, стали неизменным символом роскошного образа жизни. Однако, несмотря на внешнюю привлекательность, сумки от Prada казались очень громоздкими, поэтому их плохо покупали, а самой компании грозил финансовый кризис. Тогда, в 1979 году управление фирмой взяла в свои руки внучка основателя марки — Миучия Прада.
В 1989 году торговая марка Prada, которая к тому времени была уже довольно известной компанией, под руководством нового директора — Миучии Прада — продемонстрировала свою первую линию готовой одежды класса pret-a-porte. Коллекция была выдержана в спокойных тонах, с преобладанием черного цвета. Все линии были изысканны и просты, без каких-либо резких переходов или срезов. Применив такой неожиданный контраст, Prada мгновенно завоевала симпатии клиентов, отдающих предпочтение элегантному шику.
В 1992 году Prada представила новый молодежный бренд — Miu Miu (Сокращенно от имени Миучия), а в начале 90х годов запустила собственную линию солнцезащитных очков. Причем очки были выполнены в толстых квадратных оправах самых ярких цветов, за что покупатели и прозвали их «Безобразная Prada». Тем не менее, уже через несколько лет, очки превратились в визитную карточку бренда.
Магазин Prada в Милане
Prada glasses
Слияния и поглощения
Prada получила большие долги в наследство от приобретённого в начале 1990-х годов римского финансово неустойчивого модного дома Fendi. Изначально Prada разделила Fendi с французской компанией LVMH, но оказалась не в состоянии поднять или поддержать на плаву убыточный модный дом и впоследствии продала свою долю LVMH.
В 1999 году компания приобрела Church’s, английского производителя качественной обуви, более чем 45 % доли было продано Equinox.
Мобильный телефон LG Prada
В мае 2007 года Prada объединила силы с производителем сотовых телефонов LG Electronics для создания телефона LG Prada (KE850). Телефон продавался за $800.
В 2009 году в Европе начались продажи KF900, второго поколение телефона. В телефоне была реализована поддержка стандарта 3G, а также новая QWERTY клавиатура-слайдер, которая хоть и сделала телефон больше, зато увеличила функциональность. Также телефон подключался к наручным часам Prada Link по технологии Bluetooth, так что владелец мог просматривать текстовые сообщения на дисплее часов.
В конце 2011 гды вышло третье поколение LG Prada — Android-смартфон LG P940. Prada III выполнен в форм-факторе классического моноблока c 4,3-дюймовым TFT-сенсорным экраном NOVA High Brightness Display. Кроме стильного внешнего вида телефон отличается высоким уровнем технических характеристик: устройство оснащено двухъядерным процессором от Texas Instruments с частотой 1 ГГц, 8-Мп камерой с автофокусом и возможностью записи видео 1080р, 1 Гб оперативной и 8 Гб встроенной памяти (с возможностью подключения microSD), Bluetooth 3.0 и Wi-Fi.
Архитектура
Prada поручает архитекторам, особенно таким, как Rem Koolhaas и Herzog & de Meuron, создавать дизайн для основных магазинов в разных точках мира. В 2005 году недалеко от Западного Техаса, в городах Валентин и Марфа, пара скандинавских художников, Michael Elmgreen и Ingar Dragset, открывают магазин Prada Marfa, скульптурно маскирующийся как мини-бутик Prada. Расположенное вдоль изолированной протяжённости U.S. Highway 90, 15 на 25-футовое здание из кирпича и штукатурки, частично финансировалось Фондом Prada (Prada Foundation).
Бутики и магазины
Под маркой Prada работает значительное количество магазинов в крупнейших городах мира. В частности, в США имеется 10 бутиков и 2 крупных магазина, расположенных в таких городах, как Нью-Йорк (Пятая авеню, Мэдисон Авеню, Манхассет, Сохо), Чикаго, Сан-Франциско, Лас-Вегас, Аспен, Бостон, Лос-Анджелес (Беверли Хиллз) и др.
Prada в культуре
- Prada вдохновляет поэтов. Беатриче Лао, средиземноморская поэтесса, является одной из них. Она концентрируется на «сущности Прада»:
Тёмные глаза удивлены. Тушь чернее тайны. Настроение — фарфор. Её мечты ткутся за окнами. Dreams Pradaesque
Оригинальный текст (англ.)
… Dusky eyes dazed. Mascara blacker than enigma. The mood is porcelain. Her dreams are weaving behind windows.
- В написанном в 2003 году романе «Дьявол носит Prada» повествуется о злой, эгоцентричной начальнице, которая носит дизайнерскую одежду, включая Прада. В 2006 году вышел фильм «Дьявол носит Prada», основанный на этом романе.
- Существует группа «The Devil Wears Prada».
Примечания
Ссылки
- Официальный сайт модного дома Prada
Prada is one of the most iconic brands in fashion history. The designers behind the brand have continually striven to be innovative while maintaining their classically refined style. The House of Prada has proven its longevity, and the Prada name will still be in demand for years to come. Here is the history of Prada and the famous name.
“What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today when human contacts go so fast. Fashion is instant language.” – Miuccia Prada
The First Prada Store
The first Prada store opened in 1913 in the prestigious Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II in Milan, Italy. Mario Prada opened the leather goods shop with his brother, Martino. The store sold bags, trunks, steamers, and travel accessories.
In 1919, Prada was awarded the title of Official Supplier of the Italian Royal House. This prestigious distinction allowed Prada to display the House of Savoy coat of arms and knotted rope design in its trademark logo. This honor is what makes Prada a symbol of the Italian aristocracy.
This history of Prada gets even more interesting. In the patriarchal style of the times, Mario Prada did not believe that women should work outside the home. He excluded his female family members from working for his company. Ironically, his only son had no interest in the family business. His daughter Luisa Prada took over the family business as Mario’s successor and ran it for almost twenty years.
Expanding the Business
In the mid-1970s, Luisa’s daughter, Miuccia Prada, joined her mother in the family business. Miuccia initially devoted herself to designing accessories. She did continue the tradition of producing high-quality bags and luggage for the family business.
In 1977, Miuccia Prada met Patrizio Bertelli, a young Italian with his own leather goods business. He joined the Prada family business and his partnership with Miuccia took the history of Prada in a new direction. Miuccia’s sophisticated creativity and Bertelli’s entrepreneurial intuition helped expand the Prada business.
New Prada Products
The company first added footwear to their growing product line in 1979. Its first collection of women’s shoes was well received. The business continued to grow and gain attention. Prada expanded its network of directly-owned stores into markets all over the world. The stores were known for their clean aesthetic as well as the unique green hue the walls were painted. The color became known as “Prada Green.” The first “green store” opened in Milan in Via della Spiga. Boutiques in London, Madrid, Tokyo, Paris, and Tokyo followed.
The global success of the Prada brand pushed Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli in new directions. A womenswear line was introduced in the late 80s. Prada’s first fall/winter collection debuted on the catwalks of Milan in 1988. The designs were distinct due to their dropped waistlines and narrow belts. The fashion world fell in love with Prada’s clean lines, luxurious fabrics, and color selections. The history of Prada turned as they became one of the most coveted brands in the fashion world by the early 1990s.
The House of Prada Today
Miuccia and Bertelli married in 1987, and the duo is still at the helm of the Prada family business. The Prada industry houses several smaller brands, such as Miu Miu, Church’s, Car Shoe, and Pasticceria Marchesi. The heart of the business is still the Prada brand. The classic Prada Linea Rossa was relaunched in 2018 to wide acclaim. Prada is most definitely here to stay.
Although the history of Prada is long, we know that you can’t get enough of the House of Prada even today. You will want to also see our article about what makes Prada’s bowler bag so iconic to learn more about this fashion house’s impact on the world of luxury design and women’s accessories.
Prada Womenswear F/W 2023 show
Since 1913, Prada has been synonymous with cutting-edge style. Its intellectual universe combines concept, structure and image through codes that go beyond trends. Its fashion transcends products, translating conceptuality into a universe that has become a benchmark to those who dare to challenge conventions focusing on experimentation.
Prada Womenswear F/W 2023 show
BRAND IDENTITY
transcending trends
Through an innovative approach, which draws inspiration from an unconventional analysis of society, Prada elaborates codes that transcend trends. Style statements born from the passionate examination of disciplines that are, at times, apparently far from fashion, such as art, film and photography, resulting into creations that reinterpret reality from unusual perspectives.
Transcending products
Unfettered from conceptual limitations and from the strict commitment to stylistic cohesion, the aesthetic codes of the brand have influenced generations of creative minds through manifestos of cultural emancipation that embrace the broadest aspects of life. Prada’s fashion transcends products bringing ideas and ideals to life through its clothes and accessories, which become tools of confident self-expression.
Looking for new perspectives
Prada challenges pre-conceived aesthetic patterns. It is an expression of society: whenever society changes, Prada evolves accordingly. What’s simple and classic is distorted and reconsidered in the tireless search of new perspectives. A state-of-the-art laboratory grounded on the values of instinct and cultural inclination.
Reinterpreting shared aesthetic codes
Conceptuality is Prada’s preferred form of expression in an intellectual commitment to good taste. In every collection, shared aesthetic codes are reinterpreted through an unusual perspective, while new products challenge material processes with the use of technology and know-how.
An endless play of past, present and future
What is considered beauty and what’s deemed questionable are deliberately mixed in an endless play of past, present and future in which bourgeois codes are often broken down and reconstructed.
INITIATIVES
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CONFIRM
Prada has become one of the recognized luxury fashion brands in the world. Its roots can be traced back to Milan, Italy, where it was formed over a century ago.
Prada was created by Mario Prada and his brother Martino in 1913. It started a leather goods shop by the name of Fratelli Prada, which is Italian for Prada Brothers. The products sold by Fratelli Prada included animal goods, handbags, and steamer trunks. Most of these items were imported from England.
At that time, Mario Prada did not want any of his female family members to join the business. He believed it was the role of men to earn for the family.
As fate would have it, his son showed no interest in the family business, so it was Mario Prada’s daughter, Luisa, who joined the business. She worked for twenty years a successor to her father before handing over the helm to her daughter, Miuccia.
Fratelli Prada business took a turn when Miuccia Prada met Patrizio Bertelli, who a 24-year-old Italian leather good businessman. He convinced Miuccia that she should change her business model and focus on making luxury luggage pieces.
He also advised her to stop importing from England and make all her items from locally sourced materials. That was a decisive point in the formation of Prada, the fashion as we know it today.
Prada Background
When Miuccia inherited the role to lead the company, the sales were around half a million dollars. Miuccia has appointed Patrizio Bertelli has the business manager for Prada. This allowed Miuccia to focus on the creative aspect of the business.
In 1979, Prada launched its first set of totes and backpacks. Initially, sales for these new items had very little awareness among the general public. However, that changed when these items were advertised, and become a commercial hit.
Miuccia and Patrizio understood the importance of branding and wanted to expand the business into the luxury segment. In 1983, Prada opened its second boutique in the center of Galleria Vittorio Emmanuelle.
This was a strategic decision as the location had previously housed the very famous and historic London House. This new boutique got a lot of attention from the public, and the brand of Prada has elevated into the luxury segment.
Inspired by the success of the second boutique, Prada launched several boutiques in Europe including Paris, Madrid, Florence, and more. There was a lot of emphasis on the location of the boutique. They were always chosen in upscale and prominent districts of the city. The product line was also expanded.
In 1984, a shoe line was released followed by the release of the classic Prada handbag 1985. That handbag has become an extremely successful product for Prada and continues to be popular with customers through the present day.
Not only was the bag an iconic product for Prada but it became symbolic of luxury fashion for any brand. In 1987, Patrizio and Miuccia married.
Prada launched a women’s clothing collection in 1989. It was an instant hit the public, who appreciated the dropped waistlines and narrow belts design of the clothing line. It was a conscious decision by Prada to not have a prominent brand logo such as the logo of competitor Louis Vuitton.
Even though Prada was a luxury brand and was as expensive as its competitors, it stayed away from a logo as wanted to have a “reverse snobbery” or “anti-status” brand image.
In the 1990s, Prada continued its rise in the fashion industry, and by that time it had become one of the top fashion brands in the world. It was a conscious decision by Prada to have some exclusivity to the brand, so they made some of their items in limited quantity.
A separate fashion brand by the name of Miu Miu, which was the nickname of Miuccia, was launched in 1992. It was directed toward younger customers.
Men’s clothing by Prada was started in 1994 and in 1996 Prada launched its iconic and largest boutique in Manhattan, New York. Prada expanded to other countries and was extremely popular in Japan, where is launched 20 boutiques.
After a string of acquisitions in the 1990s, including shares in Church & Company, Fendi, Jil Sander A.G, Prada has become the leader of luxury goods in Europe. Revenue had reached 2 trillion Italian lira.
In the 2000s and 2010s, the mergers and acquisitions slowed down. There was a decline in luxury goods spending in Europe. There was also a rise seen in sales of counterfeit luxury items.
In 2001, Patrizio sold his 25.5% share of Prada in Fendi to LVMH for only $295 million. This was the first of many sell-outs by Prada, which by 2006 had sold several brands including Jil Sander A.G and Church & Company.
In 2016, Prada did $3.91 billion in revenue. In 2020, Miuccia and Patrizio continue to be at the helm for Prada. They named the one of the top designers Raf Simmons as the co-creative director. Apart from his own clothing life, Raf has previously worked at Jill Sander, Christian Dior, and Calvin Klein.
Major Products Prada is Famous For
At different times of its prolific history, Prada has been famous for different items. Shoes and bags continue to be the most popular items for Prada but it has achieved success in several product categories.
When it first started, it was luggage items, then it was the shoes and clothing lines. The classic Prada handbag has been a fashion industry sensation and continues to be a top choice for buyers. Prada has also expanded in perfumes, eyewear, small leather goods, cosmetics, and watches.
Prada is known to be a trendsetter for its unique designs. It has also brought several classic designs back to the mainstream. The Prada nylon bags, although very simple looking, have been a massive commercial success.
The Italian powerhouse is one of the world’s biggest fashion brands.
Prada has left an imprint on fashion as we know it, and its tangible designs are one of the most respected in the world. Let’s take a look at the Prada history and how its style influenced fashion as we know it today.
Prada’s Style
Prada clothes and accessories are recognized as classic and eccentric, although they’re also notorious as having a techno vibe. Its style draws on northern Italian traditions with elegance and a fine craftsmanship. But on the other hand, their stylists create new designs, patterns and prints from unconventional materials. It’s a brand that never follows trends and instead, follows its own path. For example, when other high-end fashion brands focused on minimalism, Prada presented a curvy, men-esque collection. This look caught on across female fashion, but Prada then switched to block colours and bold prints.
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Since 1913, its cutting-edge style has made it one of the most respected designer brands in the fashion realm. In fact, it’s become a statement for challenging conventions focused on experimentation. Style statements are born from the stylists’ passionate examination of disciplines. As a result, the creations are a unique interpretation from unusual perspectives.
Looking at Prada History
Prada history began in 1913 and it looked very different to the designer label we know today. It was once solely dedicated to bags and suitcases. Mario Prada, a craftsman, opened a shop in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. From its initial opening, it received a healthy interest – especially amongst people who wanted accessories. The main reason people loved accessories in that era was because they wouldn’t go out of fashion as quickly as clothes would.
Nearly a century later, Mario Prada passed down the business to his granddaughter, Miuccia Prada Bianchi. Her personal history focused on political commitment. However, she always had an interested in a unique society social and youthful Italian eccentricity. She had a background in fashion designing and she even married a fashion designer too in 1987.
Background of Miuccia Prada
Miuccia Prada is an Italian fashion designer who owns and created the Prada brand. She was the youngest granddaughter and started this fashion line by creating and designing high-end suitcases, handbags and trunks for the Milanese elite. She attended the University of Milan where she became recognized as a feminist and earned herself a Ph.D. in political science.
In 1978, Prada reimagined her family’s business and grew it from a sleepy and stagnant brand to what we recognize in this current day. Her husband helped with the company’s merchandise with designs and patterns she’d created herself. At the time Prada was born, heavy logo clothes dominated the fashion world. However, four years later, Prada welcomed a collection of ready-to-wear women’s clothes which were titled “uniforms for the slightly disenfranchised”.
Prada’s Impact in the Fashion World
Prada stands out from the rest of the fashion world for a multitude of reasons. Throughout Prada history, it’s always been fearless in its decisions and creations, and never been afraid to attempt new styles. One example of this is a transparent raincoat which turned opaque once it got wet. In 2004, this amazed critics at a fashion show, as well as straw hats and embroidered moccasins. Prada’s fashion and accessories soon created an original energy which other brands and boutiques couldn’t offer.
Prada’s designs are one of the most influential luxury brands, and therefore the most replicated. In 1988, the brand introduced womenswear for the first time and launched a light-hearted label, Miu Miu, in 1993. One year later, Prada expanded into menswear. No matter the collection, its signature look is glamorous and easy to recognize – even amongst Italian competitors. The clothing and accessories are made from high-quality materials with investment in mind. Their credibility is priceless with other brands admire and take inspiration from.
How Has Prada Influenced Culture?
Prada’s breakthrough came in the early 1990’s with the black nylon bag. This was the first true fashion statement from the brand and it transformed every season along with any clothes. This touched a new, minimalist-minded consumer who’d prefer to not wear their wealth on their sleeve. It remained the single most admirable accessory of that decade.
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The rest of the world had to take time to catch up with the brand’s wonderful aesthetic and designs. Prada pushed the boundaries of what fashion can be and that there are no rules to what you can create. Currently, today’s Prada runway collections are the most anticipated on the show schedule and receive worldwide attention. Their new designs and collections are ground-breaking and shock critics and fans in a positive way each time. The brand even branched out into cars in 2009 with the South Korean maker Hyundai, the Prada Genesis.
Prada Handbags Everyone Woman Should Invest In
Prada handbags make a huge fashion statement and are obviously not just a passing trend. The brand’s handbags have become recognized for their high-class elegance and quality. These handbags are designed with more than just practicality in mind, but are a work of art. Let’s take a look at our top finds and what makes each one so special.
1. Prada Navy Blue Saffiano Leather Bag
We love this navy blue colour which is a recognized shade for Prada. Capturing both practicality and style, it’s a one-of-a-kind accessory. Made from leather, it’s durable and actually gets better with age. The gold-tone hardware is a beautiful contrast against the blue and gives it a sophisticated feel. With two interior pockets, there’s plenty of space for your essentials, whilst keeping them to hand.
The metal lettering logo on the leather triangle makes it stand out against other competitor handbags. The two-way zipper closure keeps your essentials safe and to hand, whilst keeping in touch with the sophisticated style.
2. Prada Rose Saffiano Leather Crossbody Handbag
This rose beige colour is a neutral tone with a tinge of rose pink. As a result, it’s a high-end purse which provides the perfect addition to your outfit. Team it with an all-black outfit to add a stunning contrast which others will admire. Prada is known for this iconic Saffiano style, and this durable leather will keep in shape for years to come.
The finished silver chain strap provides the ability for hands-free so you can focus on enjoying your day. Crafted in Italy with excellent care and precision, this handbag shows the innovation and creativity of the company.
3. Prada Midnight Designer Shoulder Bag
This handbag comes in a sleek midnight black which gives off a sense of elegance and beauty. Made of soft nylon, it’s simple to take care of and will last for many years to come. The quilt style offers a unique twist and gives a quilt pattern for a homely and soft feel. You can utilize this in the day or for special occasions to complement an array of outfits and instantly give yourself a confidence boost.
What Do You Know About Prada History?
We hope you enjoyed reading about Prada history – including a brief background into the designer’s early career and some fun facts about the brand. Owning one of this iconic fashion brand’s pieces is certainly a matter of prestige.
What do you know about Prada history? If there are some facts you’d like to share, let us know in the comments to keep this conversation going.
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