Prada
The House of Savoy coat of arms and knotted rope on Prada’s seal herald that the iconic Italian luxury fashion house was named Official Supplier to the Italian Royal Household in 1919. Started in 1913 by Mario Prada, the brand’s original shop in Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II still has the mahogany shelves that displayed its early wares such as travel items and handbags. Today, these fine leather goods are joined by the clothing, wallets and other various accessories that keep the brand on the cutting edge of fashion.
When Mario Prada’s granddaughter, Miuccia Prada (b. 1949), inherited the business from her mother in the late 1970s, Prada was recognized for its quality craftsmanship, yet it was still a modest-sized company. Miuccia, an enthusiast of unconventional Italian filmmakers who’d earned a Ph.D. in political science, introduced the concept of using pocone — a military-grade water-resistant nylon that feels like silk.
Nylon revolutionized the fashion house’s business, with the first Prada nylon backpack released to universal acclaim in 1984. Soon the durable, water-resistant material was incorporated into Prada’s ready-to-wear collections for both men and women. No one had previously considered nylon a part of luxury fashion, and it wasn’t long before the family-owned company best known for its luggage was leading modern style that emphasized function as much as form.
Characterized by clean lines and a refined elegance that signaled the new direction of the legacy brand, Miuccia Prada debuted her first ready-to-wear collection for women in Fall/Winter 1988. More inventive fashion would follow in the ensuing years, such as the 1993 launch of the more affordable, more playful Miu Miu line, which was aimed at a younger audience, and the introduction of Prada Sport in 1997 — a collection now widely seen as prescient for its embrace of athleisure.
Prada has regularly gone against the grain to elevate styles that have long been out of fashion. In 1996, there were dresses and skirts in clashing patterns and muted earth tones that seemed flat and outdated, all worn with chunky high wedge sandals. Fanny packs followed three years later, and elaborate lace in 2008. Each season continues to bring new eye-catching innovations for the historic brand, including enhanced attention to sustainability with Prada Re-Nylon, a new line of bags created from recycled ocean plastic.
Today, find a wide variety of vintage Prada evening dresses, bags and other items on 1stDibs.
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Prada fashion for sale on 1stDibs.
- What is Prada Gaufre?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Prada Gaufre is a handbag produced by the Italian luxury fashion house Prada. It is a double-handle bag with distinctive gathered details. Most models come with a detachable shoulder strap. On 1stDibs, you can find a selection of Prada Gaufre bags.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 17, 2023To tell if a Prada bag is real, inspect the logo. It should read "Prada" on the top line, "Milano" on the next line and "Dal 1913" on the third line. Some fakes are more obvious than others, rife with telltale signs like poor-quality stitching, tarnished hardware and even misspellings of Prada. Additionally, the iconic Italian luxury house’s plaques are typically ceramic on leather bags and leather on those made of nylon or another fabric. If a plaque is made of fabric or plastic, the bag could be fake. Shop a collection of Prada bags from some of the world's top boutiques on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023There are several Prada bags that are famous, and each one has a different name. They include the rectangular strap-fastened Cahier, the curvy Nylon, the structured Belle satchel, the minimalist tapered Deux satchel and the boxy Galleria tote. Find a selection of Prada bags on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023Yes, some Prada bags do have gold hardware. However, the Italian luxury fashion house also produces handbags with silver hardware. All of the hardware on the brand’s accessories should be either all silver or all gold, including the zippers, clasps, grommets and the feet on the bottom. If you see a bag that has a mix of gold and silver hardware, or hardware that’s neither silver nor gold, there is a chance that it is a fake Prada bag. Shop a collection of Prada from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022While Miu Miu is a subsidiary of Prada, there are a few key differences between the Italian brands. One of the main differences is that Miu Miu has a more approachable design, whereas Prada is more sophisticated. Shop a selection of Miu Miu and Prada garments and accessories on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022There are a few tell-tale signs you can look for to determine whether your Prada nylon bag is real or fake. Check the inner seams to find a small square white tag with a number printed on it that indicates the bag’s factory number. There should also be a quality assurance tag inside. Like all high-end designer handbags, check for pristine craftsmanship, even stitches and printing and additional name stamps on hardware. Shop a collection of authentic Prada purses from some of the world’s top boutiques on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Several telltale signs allow you to authenticate a vintage Prada bag. Look at the logo for consistency — the Prada logo has a distinctive font, particularly the notch taken out of the “R." Fakes will often leave this detail out. All details, including patterns, fonts and stitching, should be neat and even. Prada uses the highest quality luxury leather to craft its bags, and a plastic-like smell or rough texture could indicate the bag is a fake. Find a collection of expertly-vetted Prada bags from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022There are a few easy giveaways on fake Prada messenger bags. First, check the logo plaque. It should be crisp and in a font and style consistent with the luxury brand. Next, the topstitching will generally be stitched at an angle. Fake Prada bags will often have horizontal stitching. On 1stDibs, find a collection of expertly vetted Prada bags from some of the world’s top sellers.