Prada

Prada, S.p.A. is an Italian fashion company (also known as a "label" or "house") with retail outlets worldwide. more...

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The company, originally known in Italy as ("Prada Brothers"), was founded in 1913 by Mario Prada in Milan. In 1978, Mario's granddaughter Miuccia Prada inherited what was still a leather goods business from her mother, and led the company's expansion into couture.

Prada's first prêt-à-porter, or "ready-to-wear" collection was designed by Miuccia Prada in the autumn/winter season of 1989.

In addition to the original Prada line, the company introduced the Miu Miu collection, a lower-priced line aimed at a younger audience, in 1992. The Miu Miu line, which shares Miuccia Prada's nickname, emphasizes earthy colors and a less haute couture look, evoking an overall more bohemian style. In its advertising campaigns, waif-like models in "home photo" poses further the look. Miu Miu clothing is often simple, and evokes a continual image of high-end vintage items. It was followed by the Prada Sport 'Linea Rossa' collection, which featured tennis shoes. The Prada line produces high-end ready-to-wear clothes and accessories for men and women in addition to a range of children's clothes, fragrances and cosmetic products and home products, whilst the Prada Sport and Miu Miu lines produce clothes and accessories for men and women, including handbags, shoes, wallets, and sunglasses.

Prada won a Council of Fashion Designers of America International Award for accessories in 1993 and currently Prada is considered one of the most influential clothes designers in the fashion industry. American Vogue editor Anna Wintour is a fan of Prada.

As luxury conglomerate

Like the current Gucci and Christian Dior groups, Prada held, for a time, a portfolio of designer labels under its corporate umbrella.

Following the lead of other companies in a popular trend to absorb as many other fashion houses as possible, Prada took on large debts when it acquired the financially floundering Rome-based house of Fendi in the early 1990s. Prada assumed shares in Fendi with the Moet Hennesy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) company. Prada was unable to turn around/support the money-losing Fendi label, and sold its Fendi shares to LVMH. Prada is still recovering from this debt.

The Prada Group's other notable purchases in the 1990s were the Helmut Lang and Jil Sander labels. By 2006, however, the Jil Sander label had been sold, and the group was planning to sell the Helmut Lang label as well. Jil Sander was sold to the private equity firm Change Capital Partners, which is headed Luc Vandevelde, the chairman of Carrefour.

Architecture

Prada has commissioned international architects, most notably Rem Koolhaas and Herzog & de Meuron to design flagship stores in various locations, both as a marketing and branding concept as well as a differentiating feature.

Read more at Wikipedia.org