A ruler of the world of fashion, with products that speak of minimalist luxury, Prada is in a class of its own.
It was the ultimate tribute to a brand. ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ — the book and subsequent movie — a direct reference to an aura of glamour and high fashion. The century-old Milanese brand sure has come a long way since it began in 1913, from a simple leather goods shop owned by Miuccia Prada’s grandfather Mario and his brother Martino, to a name that is now synonymous with haute couture.
Miuccia Prada: The creative mind
Miuccia appeared to have had a magic touch from the start, with an exemplary capacity to innovate and ideate. Versatile in her talents, she literally transformed not just the brand but the world of fashion as we know it today.
Ironically, the highest leap for Prada, known through generations in Italy for its luxurious leather craft, is based on ‘Pocone’, a nylon material that Miuccia’s grandfather used as a protective cover on his steamer trunks.
Who can forget Prada’s black nylon handbags, with its metal tag in the shape of an inverted triangle, bearing the company’s name in small capital letters? It was the ultimate status symbol of the nineties, loved for its sleek, clean look. Her bags were touted as classy accessories for hard-working, chic women of the time.
Her creativity combined with the sharp business acumen of her husband, Patrizio Bertelli, took Prada from strength to strength. A tough taskmaster, Patrizio is known to have run the company with an iron hand. He made sweeping changes including new designs for travel baggage and going back to the brand’s Italian roots, instead of selling the English style of luggage.
The Prada Look
Miuccia’s perfected classic Prada look is today the toast of the fashion world. Thanks to her, overtly flouncy, frilly dresses and brightly coloured garments of yesteryear were replaced with classic, straight lines projecting a no-nonsense image, even as they were graceful and charming. It is this ‘clean’ look that characterises the much-loved signature Prada line.
Following Prada’s success as an haute couture line, Miuccia launched her more affordable prêt line, Miu Miu — a runaway success with the ‘bad girls’ as she would call them. Flowing shapes, earthy colours and prints set this collection apart from the rest of the prêt collection available in the nineties. More launches followed — Prada Sport, menswear, lingerie, shoes, fragrances and eyewear.
Now among the best loved brands around the world, Prada is the darling of celebrities like Uma Thurman, Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, Carey Mulligan, Sienna Miller and Jennifer Aniston — stars who are themselves grace and elegance personified, who epitomise femininity without being perceived as weak. From men’s and women’s clothing to shoes, handbags, wallets, fragrances, cosmetics, underwear and lingerie, eyewear and even cell phones, Prada now offers a wide gamut of high quality products for those with a discerning eye.
Prada Eyewear
The brand lends a whole new meaning to the term ‘stylish eyewear’, following the basic philosophy of the brand in terms of shape and style — minimalist and traditional. It has never followed the diktats of fashion, and has always created a distinct style that shows up in the frames too.
Retro is good for Prada, but bling clearly is not. The frames are oversized and in the classic aviator, butterfly or wraparound tradition. Most pieces have no embellishment, while those that do have just about enough to lend a classy, rich look. Even the silver triangle logo appears intermittently. The brand clearly expects to be known by the craftsmanship and excellence of its pieces, rather than loud, prominent displays.
Prada’s Spring Summer 2012 eyewear collection is inspired by the fifties — melding luxury, sensuality and elegance. The brand also collaborated with designer Vahram Nuratyan to develop an enticing project, using its latest Dixie women’s sunglasses and Teddy men’s sunglasses to emphasise how all eyewear design ultimately stems from one core idea. Innovative indeed!
Time magazine once described Prada apparel as ‘unassertive, combining traditional good manners and an ultramodern industrial sleekness.’ This description rightly matches the brand’s philosophy. It truly is an apt example of a brand whose luxury and beauty lies in its simplicity. Long may it reign.
– Roli Gupta
Image source: www.prada.com
