The history of Prada: From the royal family of Italy to the leftist heiress who changed the course of the brand

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” , almost 20 years after the first film. It returns with fun, fashion and “the uncertainty of the moment”, also offering an insight into the transformed media landscape.

to the fore, despite revelations by costume designer Molly Rogers that Miranda Priestly, Meryl Streep’s iconic character, hardly ever wears Prada.

“And she didn’t even wear it in the first movie,” said Rogers, who worked on the first 2006 “The Devil Wears Prada” alongside the legendary Patricia Field.

He explained that he had requested pieces from Prada, including a red sweater he really wanted for Miranda, but never got it. “The devil wears whatever he wants. I didn’t miss it.”

But what is the story of one of the most recognizable and successful perennial fashion houses.

The roots of Prada

founded in 1913 by Mario Prada and his brother Martino under the name “Fratelli Prada”, as a leather goods store in Milan. The first store opened in the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, which still operates today.

Initially, the store sold high-quality handmade leather goods and luxury products, including imported suitcases from England, travel accessories and other items.

Within a few years, Fratelli Prada evolved from a beautiful store to a supplier of Italian aristocratic families.

In 1919, the quality of its products caught the attention of the Italian Royal House, who appointed Prada as its official supplier.

This recognition allowed Prada to incorporate the coat of arms of the House of Savoy and the braided rope design into its distinctive triangular logo, which helped to strengthen its reputation.

Prada became a symbol of Italian aristocracy and the upper middle class. This logo has accompanied Prada throughout the more than 100 years of its presence on the market.

Founder Mario Prada believed that women had no place in the workplace and should stay at home. So, as his retirement approached, he wanted to hand over the family business to his son.

The plans of the patriarch of the family were wrecked, since his son had no interest in taking over the management of the brand.

The business, with his blessings, was transferred to Mario Prada’s daughter, Luisa Prada. She took over and ran the family business for 20 years, until the 1970s when her daughter, Miuccia Prada, joined the company as chief designer. It is the moment when the course of history changes once and for all.

Ladies and gentlemen, Miuccia Prada

The entrance of Miuccia Prada into the house is a real turning point. It was in 1978, when the then young Miuccia decided to say yes to her mother and join the business that her grandfather and uncle had built with painstaking effort.

Miuccia’s first steps in the industry were not so easy. In the 1970s, she was a member of the Italian Communist Party and participated in the women’s rights movement.

When she decided to go into fashion, it is said that some did not approve of this decision as it was not what was expected of a feminist. “When I started, everybody hated what I was doing, except for a few smart people.”

In one of her rare interviews, she told Harper’s Bazaar: “I didn’t want to be involved in fashion – I was almost dragged into this world. I was a feminist in the 70s – my social life revolved around a circle of intellectuals, I was ashamed to think about fashion.

Nevertheless, I continued. And then I met Patrizio Bertelli (whom she married in 1978 and brought to Prada; he became co-CEO in 2003). If I hadn’t met him, I might never have done this job.”

He studied political science at the University of Milan and dabbled in performing arts as a mime at the Piccolo Teatro, which didn’t exactly fit the profile of a “luxury goods company manager”.

But maybe that’s just what Prada needed – a revolutionary, self-taught designer and disruptive personality with big ambitions.

He had a knack for combining tradition with innovation, turning practical objects into high fashion. Prada’s signature concept, “ugly chic”, challenged the typical glamorous and feminine standards of the industry.

Her first big hit

Her first big hit? A simple black nylon backpack called the Prada Vela. Launched in 1984, it was stylish, subtle and absolutely revolutionary.

It was made of a waterproof nylon called ‘Pocono’, which was formerly reserved exclusively for military tents.

But Prada brought it into fashion – first with accessories and then with clothes in the Fall-Winter 1994 collection. Nylon? For luxury? Miuccia’s vision was clear: luxury didn’t have to be flashy.

Embellished with Prada’s now-iconic triangular logo, now recognized by almost everyone, this backpack has become a symbol of modern elegance. It was functional and unpretentious, but at the same time whispered “I have taste”.

“I never answer the question ‘what is luxury?’, because you end up from one platitude to another. I’m not interested in defining it. And, let’s be honest, it’s a pretty vulgar word. Better to be smart, beautiful, desirable.

If I have to choose one word, I prefer “useful”. If, within a year, I make three things that I’m really happy with, that I really like and that make me smile – great. For the rest, I try just as hard, but I don’t get the same result.”

Miuccia Prada explains why she created the nylon bag as follows: “Suddenly, nylon started to look more interesting to me than haute couture fabrics.

I decided to present it on the catwalk and it challenged, even changed, the traditional and conservative perception of luxury. I’m still passionate about it.”

In 2020, the company introduced the Re-nylon Re-edition of the 2000 and 2005 bags – a collection consisting of mini bags, handbags, shoulder bags, belt bags and backpacks in several colors, apart from the signature black.

In an effort for sustainability, Prada replaced the synthetic nylon material with Econyl. It is a more sustainable alternative, made from recycled materials such as fishing nets and industrial plastic waste.

In 2022, Prada’s Re-nylon Re-edition 2000 and 2005 mini bag was named Lyst’s “Bag of the Year” after searches increased by 131%, while views for #pradanylonbag on TikTok exceeded 4.2 million. Today, it remains one of the house’s most recognizable iconic products.

The first prêt-à-porter collection

Initially, the Italian house produced exclusively leather goods. However, encouraged by Patrizio Bertelli, Miuccia Prada revolutionized the company by introducing prêt-à-porter in 1988, presenting the autumn/winter collection during Milan fashion week.

The collection was inspired by Miuccia Prada’s wardrobe, which included school uniforms, dominated by black and brown. These dark tones contrasted with the vibrant colors that dominated the 80s.

The clothes were characterized by a low waist and narrow belts. They were sexy and chic, yet simple, and captured Miuccia’s unconventional approach to fashion and femininity.

In a ‘luxurious decade, Prada’s austerity, combined with elegance, clean lines and understated luxury, was a novelty. The show set the tone for Prada’s future collections, which were also characterized by minimalism.

The success was huge and made Prada one of the most sought-after brands in the fashion world in the early 1990s.

“What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today when human contact is so fast.

Fashion is a direct language’, is one of the designer’s iconic phrases, indicating the importance of prêt-à-porter but also the fact that it holds a strong position at Prada.

Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, together at the helm of the house

In 2020, Belgian designer Raf Simons joined Prada as co-creative director. They presented their first joint collection in Spring/Summer 2021, which was “a study and a redefinition of the essence of Prada”.

The creative collaboration between Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons is, in its own way, as innovative and disruptive as the designers themselves.

They began working together in February 2020, and since then the combination of Prada’s sophisticated sensuality with Simons’ more conceptual approach has evolved into a unified vision that has garnered rave reviews and strong sales. their collaboration also redefined the way creative power can be shared at the top of a global brand.

“The essence of fashion is to be in the right place at the right time,” has declared Simons, perhaps the only designer who could stand by Miuccia’s side and carry on her vision.

Or as she would say: “you have to break the status quo to get ahead.”

With information from Harper’s Bazaar, Glam Observer, Istituto Marangoni, Dazed.