Miuccia Prada

The Prada label began in 1913 with its creator Mario Prada who began the business by selling shoes, leather handbags and trunks. He then opened two boutiques in Milan after previous experience in Europe and the U.S.A.

The classic Prada suitcase was made of heavy walrus skin but as plane travel made heavy suitcases impractical, the company started to try to make some lighter bags and high quality items made of crystals, tortoise shell and wood. They also sold garments of waterproof fabrics to the United Sates, however the company had gone into decline in the 1970's.

In 1950 Miuccia Prada was born. By her mid-20's she had a doctorate in political science. In 1970, she started making backpack bags out of a waterproof fabric called Pocone and in 1979 she decided to take over the Prada family business.

As sales were down, she then decided to expand into luxury tote bags and backpacks coloured in black with flat classic lines, made from nylon.

In 1985 Prada launched a line of footwear for women and her first pret-a-porter clothing line, using some very high quality fabrics. Her clean and smooth lines are the two elements which assisted her fame, and she quickly came to be well-known for under-stated yet elegant garments.

In 1993 Miuccia Prada received an International award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America and in 1995 she won the "Designer of the Year" award.

In 1998 Prada opened her first menswear shop in Los Angeles, USA. They also opened new Prada shops in Manhattan and Las Vegas, as well as its little sister brand Miu Miu's first North American boutique, in Los Angeles.

Prada is now a worldwide empire, with stores in practically every country in the western world. It is today a million dollar concern, with nearly every celebrity wearing some of the very glamorous Prada clothes.

The Prada style

Miuccia Prada uses a lot of crunchy polyester, parachute nylon and other synthetic fabrics. She likes Battleship green, browns, white, cream, and black.

Simple destructured shapes, knee length skirts, her skinny belts had become the currency of success during the mid 90's. Her clothes are not exactly fashionable. There is no defining accent, but just a grouping of desirable useful things in the most exquisite fabrics.

Her clothes, though often deceptively plain looking, have become widely influential. She gives her very traditional garments a modern handling, such as trimming nylon parkas with mink and making trench coats and twin sets out of silk faille. It seems that the whole world craves Prada's ice-cool and sophisticated minimalism and erotic sensual appeal.

Find fashion by Prada @ the following eshops: