Prada is a world-famous fashion house of Italian origin. Currently, he specializes in the production of luxury women's and men's clothing, shoes, glasses, perfumes and cosmetics, as well as accessories. The headquarters, the head office of the company, is located in Milan (Milano).
Brand History
Like many world famous and legendary Italian clothing brands, Prada grew out of a small family store. It was opened in one of the prestigious areas of Milan in 1913, and initially it exclusively sold travel bags, suitcases and reticules. Belonged to the outlet Mario Prada.
The products manufactured by Mario Prada stood out clearly against the rest of the products of this market niche of that time.
Firstly, travel bags had a unique, inimitable design. And, secondly, high-quality materials were used for their manufacture: first-class textiles, soft exotic leather, natural suede. All this allowed the founder of the brand to get the most successful and wealthy people in Italy as regular customers.
It is noteworthy that the original name of the fashion house was "Fratelli Prada", which is translated into Russian as "brothers Prada".
From the moment of its foundation until the end of the 50s of the last century, the family business of Prada developed exclusively in the mainstream of trade in bags and small travel attributes of a premium class. but In 1958, Luisa Prada took the leading position in the company. replacing a retired father. This time is marked as a new era in the history of the brand.
With the advent of Louise Prada to power, the company's trading products gradually not only invade all of Italy, but also go beyond its borders. So, Exclusive Fratelli Prada bags begin to be sold in several European countries and even in America. Among the goods offered at that time, refined travel bags, which were decorated with semiprecious stones and natural crystals, were especially popular. Also, there were reticules decorated with elements of rare wood, tortoise-shell, python skin.
Thus, the use of expensive parts and attributes in the creation of products translates Prada into the status of a luxury company, making it a symbol of luxury and success.
Despite the image created around the company, at the end of the 70s of the twentieth century it was almost threatened by a crisis. This was due to the fact that the offered assortment of goods was too pompous and bulky, it was inconvenient to use in travel and flights. In addition, at this time the market began to fill with lighter and more convenient suitcases with wheels for transportation. Prada exists solely due to its long-established customer base, but its purchasing power does not allow to cover all costs.
It was during this protracted period of stagnation, in 1979, the daughter of Louise Prada - Miuccia Prada (Miuccia Prada) becomes responsible for the fate of the family heritage.
Miuccia Prada in the fate of the brand
Having stood at the helm of the company, Miuccia immediately begins to reorganize the commercial production of the family business. Firstly, she begins to actively negotiate with leading designers and fashion designers of the time, wanting to lure them into Prada's corporate headquarters. Then she makes a fateful decision for the brand to increase the offered range - the release of an exclusive line of women's clothing.
The efforts of the granddaughter of the founder of the fashion house are crowned with success, and already in 1989, the first ever collection of women's clothing in the history of Prada was released, which captures the pret-a-porte market segment. Her presentation was held as part of the annual Milan Fashion Week (Settimana della Moda di Milano).
The collection consisted mainly of calm colors - most of the items were designed in black, pastel, white and flesh tones. The styles and silhouettes of the presented dresses were simple and feminine, they did not have any rough and sharp transitions, they were not full of small details and decorations. Thus, we can say that with the release of the first clothing line, Prada abandoned the traditional abundance of small and expensive elements.
Femininity is the best synonym for a brand collection introduced in 1989. It was with this word that the leading fashion publications of that time associated Prada clothes.
The models created by Miuccia strongly contrasted with the outfits usual for that time, they seemed to give the world of fashion a second wind, and thanks to this they managed to win universal love in an extremely short time. So, the end of the 1980s - the beginning of the 1990s is considered a period of a kind of "boom" on Prada goods.
Prada clothing instantly took a very special place in the international marketplace. It was expensive, high-quality, presentable, simple, but at the same time luxurious. It was believed that this brand is designed to meet the needs of self-sufficient, self-confident women who once again want to emphasize their own sophistication, elegance and grace. However, such products were not the most suitable for young girls who were prone to rebellion and had not yet found their unique, distinctive style.
Therefore, in 1992, the leadership of the brand decided to create a new clothing label within Prada that would be interesting for teenagers and teenagers. So the brand “Miu Miu” appears - the name of which stands for derivative on behalf of Miuccia.
Also, in the period of the 90s of the last century, mass production of accessories and glasses is being established. However, the latter do not immediately begin to be popular among the fair sex. Thanks to their thick heavy square frame, the glasses even get the nickname "Prada brutto" - "ugly Prada". Nevertheless, this does not prevent several years later from becoming this particular accessory, a kind of visiting card of the brand.
In the mid-1990s, the first men's collection of clothes, accessories and shoes was released, the presentation of which is traditionally held as part of Milan Fashion Week. She was quite warmly received by fashion critics of that time, the innovative and rebellious spirit of the products was noted.
Prada today
Prada today is no longer a small family-owned retail store offering luxury travel bags.
Back in the 90s of the last century, the company began actively absorbing other successful brands, which included the following:
- Jil Sander;
- Azzedine Alaia;
- Car shoe;
- Church's.
So, at present, Prada is a large multinational company, which includes dozens of other world-famous brands.
The following brand products are presented on the modern market:
- Clothing;
- Footwear;
- Accessories;
- Bags;
- Sunglasses;
- Cosmetics;
- Perfumery.
Back in the 1970s, the Prada fashion house became a kind of symbol of luxury, success, wealth, and that’s how it continues to be today. The products of this brand do not require advertising, it is already easily recognizable and in demand.
The new Prada collection fall-winter 2016-2017
On the second day of Milan Fashion Week 2016, the traditional presentation of the new Prada brand collection was held. This time, the naval style was chosen as the main leitmotif by the creative director of the fashion house, Miuccia Prada. It is noteworthy that the label designers have already addressed this topic before, when they demonstrated their collection of the autumn-winter season 2016-2017 at Men's Fashion Week.
It is worth noting that a few days before the official presentation of the new collection, an entire advertising campaign was launched on the Internet: a variety of hinting photos began to be published on the Prada company website, having studied which, users could predict the basic concept of the upcoming season.
The fashion show was opened by a model dressed in an outfit that would be perfect for the female captain of the long-distance ship. She was dressed in a massive, draped coat of deep blue dark color, over which a tight corset was thrown. Black tights and heavy boots with military-style lacing completed the look. Thus, the girl looked very extraordinary and extravagant, shocking.
The fall-winter 2016-2017 collection, however, did not include outfits focused on only one type of woman. On the contrary, despite the rather unusual main theme, the outfits presented at the show would ideally suit both the fatal beauty-seductress and the self-confident girl holding a more restrained, business style.
As for the fabrics used to create the outfits, there were also no frames or limitations. The collection contains both brocade materials and light silk materials, as well as products from natural fur and leather.
Particular attention is paid to such an attribute of a women's wardrobe as tights. So, on the models you could see stockings of a wide variety of colors, textures and densities. The most commonly used gray melange tights with rhombic patterns.
The only quality that combined all the images is sexuality. Thus, the girl dressed in Prada is a fatal, sensual beauty who knows all her virtues and knows how to present them favorably.
Where to buy Prada
Currently, the brand has more than 160 single-brand boutiques around the world, they are dispersed not only in Italy, but also in several other European countries: France, Spain, Great Britain, Germany and many others. Also, label company stores are available in the USA and Russia.
The opening of the first Prada monoboutique in Russia took place in Moscow in 2002, and it is still located in the Tretyakov passage.
Also, the range of the brand is partially represented in luxury boutiques. In Russia, goods from Prada can be purchased at TsUM, GUM, the network of fashion boutiques "Rendez-Vous", "Soho" and some others. Exclusive label brand items can also be ordered from online stores.
- Official site Prada: www.prada.com
Interesting Facts
- In 1997, the brand launched an exclusive capsule collection called "Prada Sport", which offered casual clothing in a unisex format.
- In modern cinema, the Prada brand is often mentioned. So, in 2006, a touching melodrama entitled "The Devil Wears Prada" was released, the main role in which was performed by the talented Hollywood actress Meryl Streep.
- The company is actively involved in charity work. So, in 2008, she allocated financial resources for the construction of a high-rise transforming building in Seoul. The official opening, held in spring 2009, was accompanied by an exhibition of a new collection of pencil skirts from Prada.
- In 2009, a limited edition exclusive series of books was published that described the history of the development and formation of the brand.
- In 2012, the famous Hollywood actors, including Gary Oldman, Tim Roth and many others, took part in the demonstration of the new collection of men's clothing.
- The wedding costume for Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie "Romeo + Juliet" was also designed by the designers of the fashion house Prada.
- The costumes for The Great Gatsby were created in collaboration with the creative director of Prada, Miuccia Prada.
- Famous contemporary designer Marc Jacobs often declares his love for Prada pencil skirts. So, he even regularly appears in them at a variety of fashion shows.
