Prada

Prada is an internationally known designer brand. The company started in 1913 and specialized in leather goods. In 1978 Prada expanded into high fashion items with a far more opulent style.

The “Miu Miu” brand of clothing was developed as a simpler range and quickly followed by “Prada Sport “Linea Rosa’. Prada is considered to be one of the world’s leading clothing designers.

Whatever the product, clothing, bags, and shoes, etc, the process of creating a world class design is always the same. First come the sketches of every aspect of the item. The designer carefully draws all the features. Next the fabrics and colors are selected. (Around 350 new bags are designed each season, not to mention the other items in the Prada range.)

Next, mechanical plotters cut the patterns for fabrics and then refinements are made and details carefully checked. Quality precision and expertise are paramount. Then the patterns, or templates are laid out on the fabric ready for cutting. Then comes the actual making of the item.

A pair of Prada women’s boots from the 2007/8 catalogue will cost you $1065. For him there’s a nice pair of quality brown dress shoes for $764, or even a neat little raccoon fur hat which was originally $1499 and is on sale at $799.

Do you fancy a patent leather, bowler style handbag from the season’s new range? It will cost you $2729. Just to finish off your Prada outfit, you could buy yourself a pair of sunglasses. A mid range pair would cost around $320.

This top designer company doesn’t limit itself to clothing and shoes.

In May this year (2007) Prada joined forces with LG Electronics to produce the LG Prada phone. This costs just under $790 and it is proving to be enormously popular. A perfect gift for man (or woman) with everything.

In 2005 the company commissioned two Scandinavian artists to create Prada Marfa, a sculpture representing a Prada boutique.

The company’s artistic endeavours don’t stop there. Their eleven boutiques and two mega stores in the US are designer architectural creations. Their main centers are New York and Tokyo, Japan.

Prada has inspired poets, and a novel and movie called “The Devil Wears Prada” (novel 2003, movie 2006.) There is even a Prada Museum in New York which pays homage to this world leader in designer couture.