'UGLY CHIC' - THE PRADA STORY
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Published 2022-06-26
Miuccia Prada is regarded as one of the most influential and enigmatic fashion designers of modern times. For nearly four decades she has displayed her penchant for setting trends and bucking the ideas of her fellow designers, the now 71-year-old together with her CEO partner Patrizio Bertelli has transformed was essentially a small family business into one of the world’s most renowned multi billion dollar fashion houses.
Miuccia Prada is a true iconoclast, and one who never ducked a challenge, under her auteur like direction Prada has blended the old and the new, the ugly and the sublime, the vulgar and the simple, to show off a smorgasbord of original and often unexpected ideas. No two collections have ever looked even vaguely the same, and it’s obvious to any fashionista watching that each well thought-out garment detail has come from one great mind. And the irony of the Prada renaissance under Muiccia started in 1985 with a choice of an unassuming fabric for her bags. Miuccia could have followed the likes of Louis Vuitton by brandishing a leather design with multiple gaudy logos, but instead, Prada went in a completely unheard of direction: choosing a fabric and feel that screamed function rather than fashion.
Pocone—a military-grade nylon that was used by Prada’s grandfather to cover trunks— was the key to Miuccia Prada’s success. It was the last thing that should have worked for a designer handbag, but work it did. Starting with a series of waterproof backpacks, Prada eventually moved onto totes, backpacks and more all including a small black triangle bearing the Prada logo.
Within months, the Pocone bags and backpacks were a global phenomenon, collected, worn and lusted over by the fashion cognoscenti the world over .
The Pocone nylon backpacks were unlike anything else on the market: minimalistic, clean and simple, with the appeal of functionality. The “Vela” bags were born out of Prada’s disdain for the bags of other luxury competitors, which she deemed too formal and traditional. The selling point was the material: industrial nylon, which Prada sourced from factories producing the light-weight, waterproof fabric for military parachutes. What resulted was a complete transformation of what it meant to produce luxury goods - Prada managed to create the most sought-after designer bag, using perhaps the least luxurious material. The nylon bags were a symbol of modernity - it allowed luxury to be subversive and go beyond the superficial. Luxury goods were no longer just a stuffy status symbol, they were also modern and signifiers of a new kind of thinking style setter.
Directed and Produced by Paul G Roberts
Written by Zoe Dela Plana and Paul G Roberts
Narrated by Annalisa Piccio
DOP's Jake Bugeja and Rami Slayman
Edited and Sound Design by Jake Bugeja
Another FASHION INDUSTRY BROADCAST feature
fashionindustrybroadcast.com
desiregroupe.com
styleplanettv.com
All Comments (21)
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This woman -utmost respect for that mind always blows me away
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I don't know how they are going to continue this line without her instinct and her ability to take such risks!
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Ok but why do they keep mentioning "normal people", "daily life", "average people"... how many people wear prada in their daily life xD wtf
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I love Prada style. My favorite shoes for style, comfort, and fit are my Pradas.
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Just a note here. The logo of Vuitton is not printed on leather but resin cloth with only the trims in leather. Basically a 'plastic' bag with 5% real leather.
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i have prada wedges wore them for 1 month all over italy, and they're brand new, i wore urban planet wedges for 1 month walking to and from work, and the heel came off, sometimes the extra dollars are 100 percent worth it, quality vs quantity
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I like their online separate pieces and some of the newer collections, but most of the previous couture runway designs are not what I would personally wear. I do realize fashion tastes vary from person to person. This was a very interesting video.
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She is a great intellect
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Love Moo-chia !
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Such an interesting video about Prada. I never understood ugly chic but now I do. I think her fashion ideas still work well. I'm sure if I owned Prada clothing I would never get rid of it.
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Prada was my favorite 15 years ago. (I think from a fashion advertisement. End 2021 saw a small evening bag - see thru, clear some black trim or handles. (assume was the synthetic?) GORGEOUS! Unpretentious, medium petite. Love “ugly chic. Love from SF Bay Area 💕🧘🏾♂️
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i also have prada eye glasses, and the frame is so light, comfortable, it doesn't feel like i'm wearing glasses they were worth every penny
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Yeah, she isn't Ugly, she is pretty
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these is one of the best videos I have ever seen! thanks!
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This shows one should never through anything away and play have fun redesign yourself a million times over with everything together, I will never through out my ugly chic again
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Excellent film-
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I am not a fan of designer clothing, etc and this video has not changed my views but it was interesting...............................I shall continue to put clothing together in a way that suits me and only me
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i think Prada in the 96 looks a lot like the recent jacquemus vibes. Probably Jacquemus got his inspiration from this Prada season.
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One of the last remaining greats!!
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Had her political ideas succeeded she could not own "multibillion fashion houses"
