The Look of Prada

Too Cool For School
By Jennifer Berg

If Miuccia Prada were in your high school class, she’d be “Cool Art Girl.” You know the one: sipped double espressos while you were downing diet coke and vacationed in Capri while you rode Space Mountain. Cool Art Girl wore black vintage to the prom, or more likely didn’t even go to the prom. Because while a legion of male suitors was dying for a dance with her, she didn’t really care what they wanted. Or what anyone wanted, for that matter. And when it comes to fashion, Miuccia Prada sticks to her Art-Girl guns. As Julie Gilhart, fashion director at Barneys, has said: “Prada never follows anyone else’s lead, just her own original energy. Her collections are completely an expression of herself.”

It seems hard to believe that at its 1913 inception, Prada was a Milan-based manufacturer of leather bags. So what transported this little luggage shop from an obscure street in Milan to the red carpet and onto the pages of Vogue?

In 1978, Miuccia (the granddaughter of Prada’s founder) abandoned her dream to become a mime and took over her family’s business. The energy of this creative woman was a breath of fresh air to the staid company; enough, in fact, to blow the dust off the leather bags and turn Prada into what it is today: a luxury empire whose name is synonymous with minimal but elegant high style. In 1989, Prada began designing women’s prêt a porter. In 1995, guys got a taste of what the whole fashion world was talking about with Miuccia’s first men’s wear collection. The introduction of Miu Miu allowed shoppers a casual and somewhat less expensive alternative to the main Prada line. Through it all, Miuccia has flouted fashion convention and remained true to her own instincts. She has, one could say, truly kept her cool.

Prada is one of those brands whose products bestow their wearer with an impenetrable aura of cool. Where there’s style and sophistication, there’s usually a dash of Prada. What self-respecting fashionphile could forget those black nylon bags that ruled the early nineties? Or Uma Thurman’s near-legendary lavender dress at the 1995 Oscars?

But with all this talk of cool, sleek sophistication and high style, is Miuccia having any fun? Consider this: Prada’s ornament of choice this season is the peacock feather; a colorful, flamboyant, and “fun” touch if there ever was one. Last year’s collection was inspired by the whimsical theme of a 1950’s vacation in Venice. Looks like Art Girl’s having the last laugh.

For more information visit, www.prada.com.