Prada

Founded by its namesake Mario Prada in 1913, Prada has remained one of the premiere luxury brands for over a century. The brand started out with one store in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, selling bags, trunks and travel accessories. In 1919, Prada was awarded the title of Official Supplier of the Italian Royal House. This prestigious honor allowed Prada to use the House of Savoy coat of arms and knotted rope design in its logo, which it has used to this day.

Mario Prada’s patriarchal beliefs that women should not work outside of the home led him to exclude the women in the Prada family from working in the business. Ironically enough, Mario’s only son had no interest in the family business. Left with no choice, he was forced to choose his daughter, Luisa, as his successor. Luisa kept the business afloat for nearly 20 years after Mario’s death in 1958.

In 1975, Luisa’s daughter, Miuccia, joined the family business as an accessory designer. In 1977, Miuccia began seeing Patrizio Bertelli, founder of Sir Robert, another leather goods company. Soon enough, Bertelli joined the Prada family business and along with Miuccia, set out to expand Prada into a much larger company. In 1979, Prada added women’s footwear to its product line and it was an immediate success. Following this, Prada opened stores in London, Madrid, Tokyo and Paris, allowing it to have a global presence.

Prada introduced its first full womenswear collection with a Fall/Winter 1988 show. With its dropped waistline and narrow belts, Prada nailed it on the first try. Prada debuted menswear in 1995 and has since sat in the pantheon of luxury designers alongside Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

Along its ascension, Prada has introduced popular sneakers such as the America’s Cup and Cloudbust as well as grail level pieces like the Impossible True Love Shirt. Prada Sport—also known as Prada Linea Rossa—has earned itself a cult following over the years. Beginning as a sportswear-focused diffusion line and expanding into a cultural touchpoint (thanks to its use of Prada’s proprietary nylon fabric), it has become synonymous with fashion of the late-’90s and early 2000s. With legendary fashion designer Raf Simons signing on as co-creative director alongside Miuccia Prada, it’s clear that Prada has a very exciting future ahead.

Where is Prada from?
Prada was founded in Milan, Italy.

How do you pronounce Prada?
Prada is pronounced phonetically: PRAH-DAH.

Is Prada a high end label?
Yes, Prada is considered a luxury brand.