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Prada S.p.A. (, ; ) is an Italian luxury
fashion house Fashion design is the art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction, and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. It is influenced by diverse cultures and different trends and has varied over time and place. "A fashion design ...
founded in 1913 in
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
by
Mario Prada Mario Prada (died in 1958) was the founder and original designer of the fashion label Prada, a company specializing in many high-fashion goods for men and women, including shoes, handbags, luggage, and leather goods. Prada was founded in 1913. ...
. It specializes in leather handbags, travel accessories, shoes,
ready-to-wear Ready-to-wear (RTW)also called ''prêt-à-porter'', or off-the-rack or off-the-peg in casual useis the term for garments sold in finished condition in standardized sizes, as distinct from made-to-measure or bespoke clothing tailored to a partic ...
, and other fashion accessories. Prada licenses its name and branding to
Luxottica Luxottica Group S.p.A. is an Italian glasses, eyewear multinational corporation headquartered in Milan. As a vertically integrated company, Luxottica designs, manufactures, distributes, and retails its eyewear brands through its own subsidiaries ...
for eyewear and L’Oréal for fragrances and cosmetics. Founded in 1913 and named for the family of founder Mario Prada, the company originally sold imported English animal goods before transitioning to waterproof nylon fabrics in the 1970s under the leadership of Mario's granddaughter
Miuccia Prada Miuccia Bianchi Prada (; born Maria Bianchi on 10 May 1949) is an Italian billionaire fashion designer and businesswoman. She is the head designer of Prada and the founder of its subsidiary Miu Miu. As of October 2021, ''Forbes'' estimated her n ...
and her husband,
Patrizio Bertelli Patrizio Bertelli (born 6 April 1946) is an Italian businessman and former co-chief executive officer (CEO) of the Prada Group, a role he shared with his wife Miuccia Prada. Life and career Born in the Tuscan city of Arezzo in 1946, Patrizio ...
. By the 1990s, Prada was perceived as a luxury brand, a designation credited to originality in its designs. To further the business, Miuccia Prada founded
Miu Miu Miu Miu is an Italian high fashion women's clothing and accessory brand and a fully owned subsidiary of Prada. It is headed by Miuccia Prada and headquartered in Milan, Italy. Silvia Onofri is its CEO. History Miu Miu was established in 1992 ...
as a subsidiary of Prada around this time period; the company additionally partnered with
LVMH LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (), commonly known as LVMH, is a French multinational holding company and conglomerate that specializes in luxury goods and has its headquarters in Paris, France. The company was formed in 1987 through the ...
to acquire a joint stake in
Fendi Fendi Srl () is an Culture of Italy, Italian luxury goods, luxury fashion house producing fur, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, fragrances, eyewear, timepieces and accessories. Founded in Rome in 1925 by fashion designers Edoardo Fendi and ...
; Prada further assisted LVMH in its failed takeover of
Gucci Guccio Gucci S.p.A., doing business as Gucci ( , ), is an Italian Luxury goods, luxury fashion house based in Florence. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and ...
. The brand struggled through the late 2000s and early to mid 2010s, which included a failed
initial public offering An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investm ...
on the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (, SEHK, also known as Hong Kong Stock Exchange) is a stock exchange based in Hong Kong. It is one of the largest stock exchanges in Asia and the List of major stock exchanges, 9th largest globally by market ...
, though began a resurgence in popularity entering into the 2020s. Miuccia Prada and Bertelli, both entering old age, began a transition in leadership to their children in the 2020s, bringing in former Luxottica CEO Andrea Guerra to lead the company for the years during the transition. The house presently sees annual revenue in the billions of euros, making €4.2 billion in 2022 with profit that same year totaling to €776 million; furthermore, Prada and less so Miu Miu are seen as having very high desirability among consumers across various reports.


History


Founding

The company started in 1913 by Mario Prada and his brother Martino as ''Fratelli Prada'', a leather goods shop in Milan. Initially, the shop sold animal goods, imported English steamer trunks, handbags. Alongside these handcrafted leather goods, Prada also sold travel accessories, as well as beauty cases, jewelry, luxury items, and rare objects. Mario Prada opens an exclusive store in Milan’s prestigious Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II that sells leather bags, trunks, beauty cases, jewels, luxury accessories, and rare objects. 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 Miuccia Bianchi Prada (; born Maria Bianchi on 10 May 1949) is an Italian billionaire fashion designer and businesswoman. She is the head designer of Prada and the founder of its subsidiary Miu Miu. As of October 2021, ''Forbes'' estimated her n ...
, joined the company in 1970, eventually taking over from Luisa in 1978. Miuccia began making waterproof backpacks out of ''Pocono'', a
nylon Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers characterised by amide linkages, typically connecting aliphatic or Polyamide#Classification, semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are generally brownish in color and can possess a soft texture, with some varieti ...
fabric. 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.


Development

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. She would go on to incorporate her ideas into the house of Prada that would change it. 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 Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
, Paris,
Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
, 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 Louis Vuitton Malletier SAS, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ...
. It tried to market its lack of prestigious appeal, including of its apparel, by projecting an image of "anti-status" or "inverse snobbery".


1990s

Prada's originality made it one of the most influential fashion houses, 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. 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 Ginia Bellafante (born March 31, 1965) is an American critic and columnist for ''The New York Times''. Career Bellafante worked as a TV and cultural critic at ''Time'' until 1999. She then joined ''The New York Times'' as a fashion critic, an ...
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 (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design. The term ''haute couture'' generally refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to th ...
brand
Miu Miu Miu Miu is an Italian high fashion women's clothing and accessory brand and a fully owned subsidiary of Prada. It is headed by Miuccia Prada and headquartered in Milan, Italy. Silvia Onofri is its CEO. History Miu Miu was established in 1992 ...
, 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 The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA), founded in 1962 by publicist Eleanor Lambert, and headquartered in Manhattan, is a not-for-profit trade association comprising a membership of over 450 American fashion and accessor ...
(CFDA) award for accessories. The first ready-to-wear menswear collection was Spring/Summer 1998. 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 Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
, 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. 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 ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'', 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 Guccio Gucci S.p.A., doing business as Gucci ( , ), is an Italian luxury fashion house based in Florence. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and branding to ...
, and later blamed Gucci for "aping his wife's designs." In June 1998, Bertelli gained 9.5%
return on investment Return on investment (ROI) or return on costs (ROC) is the ratio between net income (over a period) and investment (costs resulting from an investment of some resources at a point in time). A high ROI means the investment's gains compare favorab ...
at US$260 million. 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 Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault (; born 5 March 1949) is a French businessman, investor, and art collector. He is the founder, chairman and CEO of LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods company. Arnault is one of the richest individuals in the ...
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 Christian Dior SE (), commonly known as Dior, is a French Multinational corporation, multinational luxury goods company that is controlled and chaired by French businessman Bernard Arnault, who also heads LVMH. , Dior controlled around 42% of ...
,
Givenchy Givenchy (, ) is a French luxury fashion and perfume house. It hosts the brand of haute couture and ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics of Parfums Givenchy. The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert d ...
, and other luxury brands. Gucci, however, managed to fend him off by selling a 45% stake to industrialist
François Pinault François Pinault (born 21 August 1936) is a French billionaire businessman, founder of the luxury group Kering and the investment holding company Artémis. Pinault started his business in the timber industry in the early 1960s. Taken public i ...
, for US$3 billion. 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. 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. 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. 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. Despite apparent success, the company was still in debt.


2000s

The company's merger and purchasing sprees slowed in the 2000s. However, the company signed a loose agreement with
Azzedine Alaia Izz al-Din ( or commonly written , ''‘izzu ’d-dīn'', ''‘izza ’d-dīn'', also written Azzedine or Azzeddine) is an Arabic male given name meaning "high rank (honour, esteem, prestige) of the Islamic religion/faith". The prefix "''‘izz'' ...
. 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 Heidemarie Jiline "Jil" Sander (; born 27 November 1943) is a German minimalist fashion designer and the founder of the Jil Sander (brand), Jil Sander fashion house. Early life and education Heidemarie Jiline Sander was born in Wesselburen on 2 ...
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 Carrefour Group, S.A. (, ), is a French multinational retail and wholesaling corporation headquartered in Massy, Essonne, Massy, France. It operates a chain of hypermarkets, grocery stores and convenience stores. By 2024, the group had 14,000 ...
, 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 Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, got infamous coverage because all the models on the catwalk were tottering – several of them stumbled, while two models fell down in front of the photographers and had to be helped by spectators to get up. They removed their shoes in order to continue their walk. One more model (
Sigrid Agren Sigrid Agren is a French model from Martinique, who rose to prominence during the Elite Model Look in 2006. Early life Agren was born and raised in Martinique, to a Swedish father and a French mother. She entered the Elite Model Look in Franc ...
) even had to stop and go back during the finale walk as she couldn't manage walking in her high heels any longer. Interviewed right after the show, one model declared: "I was having a panic attack, my hands were shaking. The heels were so high." The designer
Miuccia Prada Miuccia Bianchi Prada (; born Maria Bianchi on 10 May 1949) is an Italian billionaire fashion designer and businesswoman. She is the head designer of Prada and the founder of its subsidiary Miu Miu. As of October 2021, ''Forbes'' estimated her n ...
, 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. Miuccia Prada also assured that the shoes sold in stores would have a lower heel, 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. Consequently, the shoes have never been commercially sold.


2010s

According to ''
Fortune Fortune may refer to: General * Fortuna or Fortune, the Roman goddess of luck * Luck * Wealth * Fate * Fortune, a prediction made in fortune-telling * Fortune, in a fortune cookie Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''The Fortune'' (19 ...
'', Bertelli planned on increasing revenue of the company to US$5 billion by 2010. On 6 May 2011,
Hong Kong Stock Exchange The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (, SEHK, also known as Hong Kong Stock Exchange) is a stock exchange based in Hong Kong. It is one of the largest stock exchanges in Asia and the List of major stock exchanges, 9th largest globally by market ...
came under fire for approving Prada's IPO despite the Prada Gender Discrimination Case. Feminist NGOs and
Hong Kong Legislative Council The Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, colloquially known as LegCo, is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong. It sits under China's " one country, two systems" constitutional arrangement, and is the pow ...
lawmaker
Lee Cheuk-yan Lee Cheuk-yan (; born 12 February 1957 in Shanghai) is a Hong Kong politician and social activist. He was a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 1995 to 2016, when he lost his seat. He represented the Kowloon West and the Manufa ...
protested in front of the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (, SEHK, also known as Hong Kong Stock Exchange) is a stock exchange based in Hong Kong. It is one of the largest stock exchanges in Asia and the List of major stock exchanges, 9th largest globally by market ...
. On 24 June 2011, the brand was listed on the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (, SEHK, also known as Hong Kong Stock Exchange) is a stock exchange based in Hong Kong. It is one of the largest stock exchanges in Asia and the List of major stock exchanges, 9th largest globally by market ...
to raise $2.14 billion, but failed to meet expectations reported by AAP on 17 June 2011 and Bloomberg. 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. In July 2016, Prada began selling its clothing online through Net-a-Porter and Mytheresa in response to changing consumer preferences and the need to reach a wider audience. This strategic move allowed Prada to tap into e-commerce expertise, reduce overhead costs, and adapt to the digital age while maintaining its luxury brand image.. As of March 2018, Prada's sales turned positive after declining since 2014, and their stock jumped 14% at the news. 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.


2020s

In February 2020, Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli named the Belgian designer
Raf Simons Raf Jan Simons (; born 12 January 1968) is a Belgian fashion designer. Beginning in furniture design, Simons launched his own menswear label in 1995. He was creative director at Jil Sander (2005–2012), Christian Dior (2012–2015), and Calvin Kl ...
as co-creative director. In August 2020, the fashion house announced it would no longer use
kangaroo leather Kangaroo leather is a strong, lightweight leather derived from the hide of the kangaroo. Kangaroos are harvested. Both the meat and the hides are sold. Although hunting most species of macropod is prohibited, a small number of the large-sized ...
in its products. In 2020, fashion magazine '' Vanity Teen'' promoted its Prada Resort 21 campaign. January 2023 saw Prada announce Andrea Guerra as its next CEO; Guerra formerly was CEO of both
Luxottica Luxottica Group S.p.A. is an Italian glasses, eyewear multinational corporation headquartered in Milan. As a vertically integrated company, Luxottica designs, manufactures, distributes, and retails its eyewear brands through its own subsidiaries ...
and
Eataly Eataly is a chain of large format/footprint Italian marketplaces (food halls) comprising a variety of restaurants, food and beverage counters, bakery, retail items, and a cooking school. Eataly was founded by Oscar Farinetti, an entrepreneur for ...
, and later the leader of
LVMH LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (), commonly known as LVMH, is a French multinational holding company and conglomerate that specializes in luxury goods and has its headquarters in Paris, France. The company was formed in 1987 through the ...
's hotel division. Guerra was onboarded to ease the transition between the Bertelli and his children, who are expected to inherit the company. One of Guerra's first moves was to look at dual listing Prada stock on both the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as well as on a European stock exchange, expected to be one in Milan.


Versace

On April 10, 2025, Prada acquired
Versace Gianni Versace S.r.l. (), usually referred to as Versace ( ), is an Italian luxury elite fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978. The company produces Italian-made ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as '' haute couture'' under it ...
from
Capri Holdings Capri Holdings Limited (formerly Michael Kors Holdings Limited) is a multinational fashion holding company, incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, with executive offices in London and operational offices in New York. It was founded in 198 ...
group for 1.25 billion euros. With the acquisition of Versace, Prada begins to lay the foundations for the creation of a large Italian fashion group that can rival the French ones. They were previously bought by Capri Holdings in 2018 for $2.15 billion. The new deal with Prada will also include Versace’s debt. Prada chairman Patrizio Bertelli said that the group plans to preserve Versace’s aesthetics and finds great potential in the brand. Donatella Versace has recently stepped down as creative director after nearly three decades and is now the brand’s chief ambassador. Dario Vitale has been appointed as Versace’s chief creative officer after her.


Businesses today


Runway shows

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 Resort 2019 was shown in New York City at Prada's New York headquarters. The show was broadcast over screens in Times Square. Previous Prada models include
Daria Werbowy Daria Werbowy (born 19 November 1983) is a Canadian fashion model. She became a spokesmodel for the French beauty brand Lancôme in 2005. According to ''Forbes'', Werbowy has appeared on over 50 international ''Vogue'' covers. She retired a ...
,
Gemma Ward Gemma Louise Ward (born 3 November 1987) is an Australian model and actress. Born in Perth, Western Australia, Ward was first scouted at the age of 14, and made her Australian Fashion Week debut aged 15. She later became one of the youngest mo ...
,
Vanessa Axente Vanessa Axente (born 19 November 1995) is a Hungarian fashion model. Early life Vanessa Axente was born in Nagylengyel, Hungary. Her older sister, Benedetta, a model, was the one who convinced her to visit her agency in Budapest, and start m ...
,
Suvi Koponen Suvi Maria Riggs (; born 26 March 1988) is a Finnish fashion model who rose to fame after winning the 2005 '' Mallikoulu'' ("Model School") contest in Finland. She has worked for numerous designers including Anna Sui, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, Do ...
,
Ali Stephens Alison F. Stephens (born May 10, 1991) is an American fashion model, model. Early life Stephens was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She participated in cross country running at East High School (Salt Lake City), East High School, placing second ...
, Vlada Roslyakova and
Sasha Pivovarova Aleksandra ''Sasha'' Igorevna Pivovarova (; born 21 January 1985) is a Russian supermodel and artist. She is best known as the longest appearing fashion model for Prada, posed for 19 advertisement campaigns, a record Pivovarova has set for the ...
, 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 Sir Gary Leonard Oldman (born 21 March 1958) is an English actor and filmmaker. Known for his versatility and intense acting style, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Gary Oldman, various accolades, including an Academ ...
,
Adrien Brody Adrien Nicholas Brody (born April 14, 1973) is an American actor. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Polish pianist Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski's war drama '' The Pianist'' (2002) becoming the youngest acto ...
,
Emile Hirsch Emile Davenport Hirsch (born March 13, 1985) is an American actor. His portrayal of Chris McCandless in '' Into the Wild'' (2007) earned him acclaim and multiple award nominations. Other notable roles include '' The Girl Next Door'' (2004), '' ...
and
Norman Reedus Norman Mark Reedus (born January 6, 1970) is an American actor. He made his acting debut in the 1990s, starring in the role of Murphy MacManus in ', followed by supporting roles in successful box office films ''8MM,'' '' Blade II'', and ''Amer ...
. Prada's runway music is designed by
Frédéric Sanchez Frédéric Sanchez (born 23 September 1966) is a French sound artist and music producer, best known for his career in the fashion industry. His works include sound collages, mixes, original compositions, and sound installations. Major industry o ...
.


Boutiques

Prada has commissioned architects, most notably
Rem Koolhaas Remment Lucas Koolhaas (; born 17 November 1944) is a Dutch architect, architectural theory, architectural theorist, urbanist and Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Graduate School of ...
and
Herzog & de Meuron Herzog & de Meuron Basel Ltd. is an international architecture firm headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, with additional offices in Berlin, Hong Kong, London, Munich, New York City, Paris, and San Francisco. Founded in 1978 by Jacques Herzog and ...
, to design flagship stores in various locations. 1913 – The original Prada store opened in Milan in inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. 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. 2001 – Broadway Epicenter in New York City by OMA opens. 2003 – Tokyo Epicenter by
Herzog & de Meuron Herzog & de Meuron Basel Ltd. is an international architecture firm headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, with additional offices in Berlin, Hong Kong, London, Munich, New York City, Paris, and San Francisco. Founded in 1978 by Jacques Herzog and ...
opens. 2004 – Los Angeles Epicenter by OMA group opens. Restored in 2012. 2008 – A duplex megastore was opened in
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
at the
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, also known as Pavilion KL, is a shopping centre situated in the Bukit Bintang, Bukit Jalil and Damansara Heights district in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. History Pavilion Kuala Lumpur was built on the former site of Bukit Bint ...
. 2009 – A new store focussing on the Prada ''Made to Order'' collection opened on Corso Venezia, Milan, designed by architect Robert Baciocchi. 2012 – In June, Prada opened its largest ever boutique in Dubai's
Mall of the Emirates Mall of the Emirates () is a shopping mall in Dubai. Developed and owned by Majid Al Futtaim Group, it opened in November 2005 and is located at interchange four on Sheikh Zayed Road. The multi-level shopping mall currently features more than 630 ...
.


Other activities


Costume design

In 2007, Miuccia Prada contributed costume designs for two digital characters in the CGI film
Appleseed Ex Machina ''Appleseed: Ex Machina'', also known as in the original version, is a 2007 Japanese animated CG science fiction film and is the sequel to the 2004 ''Appleseed'' film, similarly directed by Shinji Aramaki, and was produced by Hong Kong directo ...
. In 2010,
Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...
’s ''
Attila Attila ( or ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in early 453. He was also the leader of an empire consisting of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, and Gepids, among others, in Central Europe, C ...
'' premiered at New York’s
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
with costumes by Miuccia Prada. In 2013, Miuccia Prada designed costumes for
Baz Luhrmann Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann (born 17 September 1962) is an Australian film director, producer, writer, and actor whose various projects extend from film and television into opera, theatre, music, and the recording industries. He is regarded by ...
's film ''
The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' () is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with Jay Gatsby, a mysterious mi ...
'' in collaboration with costume designer Catherine Martin.


Eyewear

In 1999, Prada partnered with De Rigo on a joint venture company, EID (International Eyewear Distribution), to produce and distribute eyewear for Prada Group brands, including Miu Miu, Jil Sander and Helmut Lang. By 2003, Prada bought out De Rigo’s 51 percent stake and subsequently sold 100 percent of it to
Luxottica Luxottica Group S.p.A. is an Italian glasses, eyewear multinational corporation headquartered in Milan. As a vertically integrated company, Luxottica designs, manufactures, distributes, and retails its eyewear brands through its own subsidiaries ...
for $30.4 million. Under an initial 10-year licensing agreement from 2000, Luxottica started producing eyewear for both the Prada and Miu Miu brands, as well as managing worldwide distribution.


Perfumes

2004 – Fragrance launched with the
Puig Puig () is a word and surname of Catalan origin, meaning "hill" or "peak". The word derives from Latin ''podium'' meaning "balcony". Geographical features * Puig-l'agulla, a mountain of Catalonia * Puig de l'Àliga (Sant Pere de Torelló), a mo ...
company. Women's fragrances were followed by men's fragrances in 2006. By 2018, Prada decided not to continue its fragrance and beauty license with Puig. L'Oreal Group subsequently acquired the beauty license from Puig in 2021. *''Exclusive Scents'', 2003 *''Amber Woman'', 2004 *''Amber Man'', 2006 *''Infusion d'Iris'', 2007 *''Infusion d'Homme'', 2008 *''Luna Rossa'', 2008 *''Amber pour Homme Intense'', 2011 *''Prada Candy'', 2011 *Prada ''Olfactories'' collection, 2015 *''Les Infusions de Prada'', 2015 *''L'Homme and la Femme Prada'', 2016 *''L'Homme and la Femme Prada Intense'', 2017 *''La Femme Prada L'eau'', 2017 *''Luna Rossa Ocean'', 2021 *''Prada Paradoxe'', 2022


Cosmetics and Skincare

2023 – Launched through license with L'Oreal Luxe. The color cosmetics are branded Prada Color, and the skincare line is branded Prada Skin. Initial product range included lipstick, foundation, eyeshadow, cleanser, moisturizer, and serum.


Mobile phone

In May 2007, Prada began producing mobile phones with
LG Electronics LG Electronics Inc. () is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational major appliance and consumer electronics corporation headquartered in Yeouido-dong, Seoul, South Korea. LG Electronics is a part of LG, LG Corporation, the fourth ...
. Three mobile phones resulted from this collaboration:
LG Prada (KE850) The PRADA Phone by LG (KE850), better known as the LG Prada, is a touchscreen mobile phone made by LG Electronics, created in collaboration with Italian luxury designer Prada. It was first announced on 12 December 2006 and was made official in a ...
,
LG Prada II (KF900) The LG KF900, also known as the LG Prada II, is a touchscreen, with slide out qwerty keyboard, mobile phone made by LG Electronics. It is the second version of the Prada phone, following the original LG Prada (KE850). The phone's looks are basical ...
and
LG Prada 3.0 LG Prada 3.0 (also branded as Prada phone by LG 3.0) is the third and final smartphone in the LG Prada phone series. It is the successor to the LG Prada II and the LG Prada. The device was marketed as a premium high-spec limited-production lux ...
. These devices were the origin of the current Smartphone.


Watches

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 Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is li ...
technology and can connect with the LG Prada II mobile phone.


Spacesuits

In 2024,
Axiom Space Axiom Space, Inc., also known as Axiom Space, is an American privately funded space infrastructure developer headquartered in Houston, Texas. Founded in 2016 by former CEO Michael T. Suffredini and Kam Ghaffarian, the company first flew a spa ...
and Prada partnered to develop the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit that will be used for NASA's
Artemis III Artemis III is planned to be the first crewed Moon landing mission of the Artemis program and the first crewed flight of the Starship HLS lander. Artemis III is planned to be the second crewed Artemis mission and the first crewed lunar landing ...
mission.


Prada in popular culture


Films

The 1999 feature film ''
10 Things I Hate About You ''10 Things I Hate About You'' is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Gil Junger in his film directorial debut and starring Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, and Larisa Oleynik. The scree ...
'' features the following exchange extolling the virtues of Prada ownership: The 2006 feature film '' The Devil Wears Prada'' (based on the 2003 book of the same name written by
Lauren Weisberger Lauren Weisberger (born March 28, 1977) is an American writer. She is author of the 2003 bestseller '' The Devil Wears Prada'', a ''roman à clef'' of her experience as an assistant to '' Vogue'' editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Weisberger worked a ...
) earned
Meryl Streep Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Known for her versatility and adept accent work, she has been described as "the best actress of her generation". She has received numerous accolades throughout her career ...
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 Patricia Field (born February 12, 1942) is an American costume designer, stylist, and fashion designer working in New York City. Early life Field was born in New York City to an Armenian father and a Greek mother, who emigrated from Plomari, L ...
.
Anna Wintour Dame Anna Wintour ( ; born 3 November 1949) is a British-American media executive, who has been serving as editor-in-chief of '' Vogue'' since 1988. Wintour has also served as global chief content officer of Condé Nast since 2020, where she o ...
, editor-in-chief of American Vogue and the supposed inspiration for Meryl Streep's character, wore Prada to the film's premiere.


Art

In 2005, a false Prada boutique was built as an art installation 26 miles away from Marfa, Texas. Called "
Prada Marfa ''Prada Marfa'' is a permanent sculpture, sculptural Installation art, art installation by artists Elmgreen & Dragset, located along U.S. Route 90 in Texas, U.S. Route 90 in Jeff Davis County, Texas, Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States ...
," 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. The installation was looted after being completed, and the restoration needed led to a revise in plans, making the structure a permanent installation.


Philanthropy and sponsoring


Arts and architecture

Inaugurated in 2000, Prada's Milan Headquarters are located in a former industrial space between via Bergamo and Via Fogazzaro. An art installation by
Carsten Höller Carsten Höller (born December 1961) is a German artist. He lives and works in Stockholm, Sweden.Alice Rawsthorn (January 2012)"Cliff Hanger - The Ghanaian home of artists Carsten Höller and Marcel Odenbach goes above—and beyond" '' W Magazin ...
that takes the form of a three-story metal slide leads from Miuccia Prada's office to the interior courtyard. Completed in 2002, Prada's New York City Headquarters open, located in a former Times Square piano factory renovated by the
Herzog & de Meuron Herzog & de Meuron Basel Ltd. is an international architecture firm headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, with additional offices in Berlin, Hong Kong, London, Munich, New York City, Paris, and San Francisco. Founded in 1978 by Jacques Herzog and ...
architecture firm. 2003 – "Garden-Factories" Project – Prada collaborates with architect Guido Canali to rejuvenate the landscape surrounding their manufacturers. 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. Completed in 2009, Prada commissioned an unusual multi-purpose building from Rem Koolhaas's OMA group called the Prada Transformer in
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
. 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 Elsa Schiaparelli ( , , ; 10 September 1890 – 13 November 1973) was an Italian fashion designer from an Italian nobility, aristocratic background. She created the Schiaparelli (fashion house), house of Schiaparelli in Paris in 1927, which she ...
, was the subject of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...
's exhibition, "Impossible Conversations". The Los Angeles Epicenter was also restored in 2012. In 2014, an exhibition called "Pradasphere" bowed in London's
Harrods Harrods is a Listed building, Grade II listed luxury department store on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. It was designed by C. W. Stephens for Charles Digby Harrod, and opened in 1905; it replaced the first store on the ground ...
and Hong Kong's Central Ferry Pier 4, highlighting the Prada universe. In 2015, Prada opened a permanent home for
Fondazione Prada Fondazione Prada, co-chaired by Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli since 1995, is an institution dedicated to contemporary art and culture. From 1993 to 2010, the Fondazione has organised 24 solo shows at its exhibition spaces in Milan, concei ...
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, it also features a performance space, movie theater, bookstore, and a cafe – Bar Luce, with an interior designed by director
Wes Anderson Wesley Wales Anderson (born May 1, 1969) is an American filmmaker. Wes Anderson filmography, His films are known for themes of grief, loss of innocence, and dysfunctional families. Due to his films' eccentricity, distinctive visual and narrative ...
. In 2016, after 6 years of restoration Prada opened an events space in a historic residence in the Rong Zhai district of Shanghai, China.


Sports sponsoring

Patrizio Bertelli's passion for sailing led Prada to form Team Luna Rossa in 1997 in order to participate in the America's Cup. On 28 September 2017 it was announced by the
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is a New Zealand yacht club, and the club behind New Zealand's America's Cup campaigns, under the guises of New Zealand Challenge and Team New Zealand. It held the America's Cup from 1995 until 2003, beco ...
that Prada will be the hosting sponsor of Challenger Selection Series at the
2021 America's Cup The 2021 America's Cup in March 2021 was the 36th staging of the America's Cup yacht race. It was contested on the inner Hauraki Gulf off Auckland, New Zealand, between the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Circolo della Vela Sicilia of Italy ...
, superseding the role of
Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Malletier SAS, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ...
started in 1983. The Challenger Selection Series that was the
Louis Vuitton Cup The Louis Vuitton Cup is the name of the Challenger (America's Cup), Challenger Selection Series sailing competition from 1983, named after its Sponsor (commercial), sponsor, Louis Vuitton. The winner of the competition became the Challenger (A ...
, 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 Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
,
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
, January 2021.


Environmental sustainability

The luxury Group, Prada, allied with UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in 2019 to introduce an 'educational program', SEA BEYOND, about sea-peservation. 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. At the Sustainable Fashion Awards 2022, the project SEA BEYOND, which simultaneously included 'ocean-literacy' and 'sustainable fashion', received an award. In June 2023, Prada announced its plan to increase its financial support for the Sea Beyond project. Accordingly, for the next two years, the Italian luxury brand will donate 1% of sales revenues from its Re-Nylon collections. This will allow the project to broaden its scope beyond ocean education with two ocean-related fields of action; support for scientific research and community projects. Also in December 2023, Prada unveiled its engagement to the UN’s Global Compact (UNGC) initiative which reflected its commitment to work according guiding principles relating to human rights, the environment, labour and anti-corruption. In January 2024, Prada announced its new partnership with international non-profit organization
Bibliothèques Sans Frontières Bibliothèques Sans Frontières (BSF), known as Libraries Without Borders (LWB) in English, is a charitable organisation based in France that provides access to information and education for those who need it most, whether refugees in humanitari ...
on creating a resource space dedicated to the seabed.


Controversy


2009 discrimination case

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 4 years after the
Me Too movement #MeToo is a social movement and Consciousness raising, awareness campaign against sexual abuse, sexual harassment and rape culture, in which women publicize their experiences of sexual abuse or sexual harassment. The phrase "Me Too" was init ...
and was started by activist,
Tarana Burke Tarana Burke (born September 12, 1973) is an American activist from New York City, who started the MeToo movement. In 2006, Burke began Me Too as a youth program for junior and high school students with the goal of addressing the rampant sexual ...
. On December 10, 2009, Bovrisse filed a lawsuit against Prada Japan accusing them of discriminating against women in the workplace. Prada Luxembourg (where the trademark is registered) countersued for defamation, stating "voicing women's rights damaged Prada's brand logo." 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). 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. 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.” 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 The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a department of the United Nations Secretariat that works to promote and protect human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Univers ...
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) is a United Nations treaty body entrusted with overseeing the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). It is composed of 18 expe ...
. The committee, without mentioning Bovrisse, did issue a report to the
Japanese Government The Government of Japan is the central government of Japan. It consists of legislative, executive and judiciary branches and functions under the framework established by the Constitution of Japan. Japan is a unitary state, containing forty- ...
urging them to enact regulations that would make sexual harassment in the workplace illegal.


Labor rights

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. The
Clean Clothes Campaign The Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) is the garment industry's largest alliance of labour unions and non-governmental organizations. The civil society campaign focuses on the improvement of working conditions in the garment and sportswear industries ...
, a labor rights organization based in Europe, has called on Prada to ensure that freedom of association is respected at the factory. On 30 January 2013
Clean Clothes Campaign The Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) is the garment industry's largest alliance of labour unions and non-governmental organizations. The civil society campaign focuses on the improvement of working conditions in the garment and sportswear industries ...
reported, "Trade Union Harassment Continues at Prada Supplier". Research of the social democratic party in the European Parliament, the
Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) is a public research university in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The university is based on two sites; the City Campus is located in the city centre near Sheffield station, Sheffield railway station, whil ...
and further Groups accused Prada in 2023 of using forced labour camps exploiting
muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
Uyghurs in china provided by the Anhui Huamao Group Co., Ltd. for production.


Ostrich leather

In February 2015, a report in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' 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.


Blackface imagery

On 14 December 2018, Prada was forced to pull a new range of accessories and displays from its stores following complaints that they featured "
blackface Blackface is the practice of performers using burned cork, shoe polish, or theatrical makeup to portray a caricature of black people on stage or in entertainment. Scholarship on the origins or definition of blackface vary with some taking a glo ...
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 Sambo may refer to: Places * Sambo, Angola, a commune in Tchicala Tcholohanga, Huambo Province, Angola * Sambo Creek, a village in Honduras People * Ferdy Sambo (born 1973), former Indonesian police general * Khem Sambo (1961–2011), Cambodi ...
like imagery" in a viral Facebook post. 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." In response to the incident, Prada assembled a diversity and inclusion advisory council co-chaired by
Ava DuVernay Ava Marie DuVernay (; born August 24, 1972) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. She is a recipient of two Primetime Emmy Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, NAACP Image Awards, a British Academy Film Awards, ...
and
Theaster Gates Theaster Gates (born August 28, 1973) is an American social practice installation artist and a professor in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Chicago. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, where he still lives and works. Gates' work ...
.


Investigation on tax evasion

, 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 Miuccia Bianchi Prada (; born Maria Bianchi on 10 May 1949) is an Italian billionaire fashion designer and businesswoman. She is the head designer of Prada and the founder of its subsidiary Miu Miu. As of October 2021, ''Forbes'' estimated her n ...
, Chief Executive Officer
Patrizio Bertelli Patrizio Bertelli (born 6 April 1946) is an Italian businessman and former co-chief executive officer (CEO) of the Prada Group, a role he shared with his wife Miuccia Prada. Life and career Born in the Tuscan city of Arezzo in 1946, Patrizio ...
and accountant Marco Salomoni were named in the probe, which is for possible undeclared or false tax claims. The chairwoman of Prada faced an investigation after it was alleged the company avoided nearly £400 million in tax by transferring services abroad.Italy's ''
Corriere della Sera (; ) is an Italian daily newspaper published in Milan with an average circulation of 246,278 copies in May 2023. First published on 5 March 1876, is one of Italy's oldest newspapers and is Italy's most read newspaper. Its masthead has remain ...
'' newspaper reorted 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. As of 2016, prosecutors requested the case be dropped as the debt had been settled.


See also

* Lavender Prada dress of Uma Thurman, a 1995 dress worn to the
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...


References


External links

* * *
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