THE START!:
The company was begun by in Italy by Fratelli Prada (
English: Prada Brothers ) and by Mario Prada in 1913 as a leathergoods shop in
Milan,
Italy. Not only was his shop a purveyor of leathergoods, but also sold imported
English steamer trunks and handbags. Fratelli Prada gained great reputation. Mario Prada did not believe in women interaction within business, and so he prevented female family members from entering into his workshop. After his death in the mid-1950s, Mario's son harbored no interest in the business. So ironically, it was Mario's daughter-in-law who took the helm of Prada, and maintained it for almost twenty years. Her own daughter,
Miuccia Prada, joined the company in 1970. Miuccia began making waterproof backbacks out of
Pocone. She met Patrizio Bertelli in 1977, an Italian who had begun his own leathergoods business at the age of 17, and he joined the company soon on.He greatly advised Miuccia -- and she readily followed the advice -- on better decisions for the Prada company. It was his advice to discontinue importing English goods and to begin to revolutionize the oldfashioned luggage styles.
RUNWAY:
Prada, along with fellow fashion houses
Calvin Klein and
Gucci, is known for its practice of casting new models to walk exclusively in their runway shows. Usually, one of the models chosen as an exclusive will be selected to open the Prada show. An exclusive or opening spot in a Prada show is among the most coveted bookings in the modeling world, since it usually leads to greater success in future seasons, as well as in the campaign/editorial field. Previous Prada exclusives and openers who have gone on to enjoy success in the fashion world include
Daria Werbowy,
Gemma Ward,
Suvi Koponen and
Sasha Pivovarova, who went on to appear in Prada's ad campaigns for six consecutive seasons after opening the Prada Fall 2005 runway show.
FAMOUS IN FILMS TOO!:
The Devil Wears Prada is a 2003 novel about a ruthless, short tempered boss who is the renowned editor-in-chief of Runway (a fictional version of
Vogue) and wears designer clothes, such as Prada and
Hermès.
Its 2006 film adaptation stars
Meryl Streep and
Anne Hathaway.
An American metalcore band also took the name
The Devil Wears Prada.
In 2005, near the West Texas towns of
Valentine and
Marfa, a pair of
Scandinavian artists,
Michael Elmgreen and
Ingar Dragset, unveiled
Prada Marfa, a sculpture masquerading as a Prada mini-boutique. Located along an isolated stretch of
U.S. Highway 90, the 15 by 25-foot adobe and stucco building was partially funded by the Prada Foundation and realized with the assistance of American architects Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello. To the dismay of potential shoppers the doors are sealed shut
I know that we have been in Spring for about a month now and I'm a bit late in writing this post but what the heck! Anyhoo, who can enjoy Spring without a dazzling outfit to enjoy it in? Primark have released their Spring/Summer collection. Here is a sneak preview:
The skirt and top are really colourful and they look good together because the colours don't clash. I have noticed that everyone is wearing Glagiator sandals now. I really like the straps on them. I bought a pair today in black and I'm wearing them now! The oarange goes good with spring
