Prada sport

History

From family company to leading international group within the luxury field, the history of Prada is the history of a success which sees Patrizio Bertelli and Miuccia Prada as the creators of a business model that has succeeded in combining large-scale production processes with skilled manufacturing expertise and the quality of a small, specialized producer. 

Prada was established in Milan in 1913 by Mario Prada and began by producing and selling bags, trunks, leather accessories and beauty cases, all exclusively designed and manufactured in luxury materials using sophisticated techniques. The Prada store in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan is still owned by the Prada family and being the place to find leather goods and other luxury items, the Prada name acquired increasing renown and prestige over the years. In 1970 Miuccia Prada — who had just graduated in political sciences, but had a passion for fashion - began working for the family firm, running the Galleria shop and producing exclusive products. 

The major turning point for the company came at the end of the 1970s, when Miuccia Prada met Patrizio Bertelli, who was working in the leather goods sector through two companies present in the Italian and European markets: Sir Robert, a company based in Arezzo, and Parma-based Granello, both producers of high-end leather goods. 

In 1978, Patrizio Bertelli set up I Pellettieri dTtalia (currently Prada Industrial), bringing together the production resources built up over 10 years, and signed an exclusive agreement with Miuccia Prada to produce and distribute a leather goods collection under the Prada brand. This agreement formed the basis for the worldwide distribution of Prada products, while at the same time maintaining the spirit of a small, specialised producer. 

In 1983, Prada opened a second store in Milan in the highly prestigious Via della Spiga, with the aim of communicating its new image to its clients. The new shop combined traditional and modern features, and was painted light green — the colour which has come to be strongly associated with the image of all Prada stores. 

In the 1980s and 1990s, the popularity of Prada products grew rapidly, and sales soared. Footwear and clothing (for men and women) were added to the company's traditional ranges of leather goods (bags, luggage and accessories) during this period, and in 1993 the Miu Miu line was launched, aimed at a younger clientele. In 1997, Prada's sport line was launched, carrying the company's well-known "red stripe" logo. 

During the same period, additional stores have been opened in the main cities around the world making a total of 161 Prada and Miu Miu DOS as of 31^st December 2001. 

The Prada Group now boasts a worldwide operation with a strong industrial bias developed within an organised structure which in turn controls each stage of the production cycle. 

All production activity is co-ordinated from the Tuscany operative company, i.e. Prada Industrial S.p.A.; the region is recognised for the highest quality production of leather and footwear manufacturing.

Chronology of Prada's growth

1982. Launch of Prada's women's shoes collection

1983. Second Prada shop opens in Milan, in Via della Spiga 1986   first New York store opens

1989. Launch of Prada's womenswear collection

1993. Launch of the Miu Miu womenswear collection (ready-to-wear, bags and shoes)

1993. Launch of the Prada men's ready-to-wear and shoes collections

1997. Launch of the Prada Sport collection

1998. Launch of the Miu Miu menswear collection (ready-to-wear and shoes)

2000. Launch of the Prada Eyewear collection

2000. Launch of the Prada Beauty collection

2001. First epicentre store by OMA /AMO — Rem Koolhaas project — opens, on Broadway, New York

2007. Prada begins producing mobile phones with LG Electronics

2008. A duplex megastore was opened in Kuala Lumpur at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

2008. Prada commissioned an unusual multi-purpose building called the Prada Transformer in Seoul

2009. A new store, designed by architect Robert Baciocchi, focussing on the Prada Made to Order collection is opened on Corso Venezia, Milan