Prada began in 1913 as a Milan leather-goods shop run by Mario Prada and his brother. It became one of fashion’s most influential houses only after his granddaughter, Miuccia Prada, took over in 1978. Miuccia, a former mime student with a doctorate in political science, built her fashion out of things the industry called boring or ugly: industrial nylon, clashing prints, “bad taste” colours, school uniforms. She has spent almost fifty years making the unfashionable fashionable, and since 2020 she has designed Prada alongside Raf Simons. This guide covers Prada’s defining collections, its sister label Miu Miu, and every season of both we have reviewed.
Prada at a glance
| Founded | 1913, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan, by Mario and Martino Prada |
| Designer | Miuccia Prada, born 1949, Milan; creative head since 1978 |
| Co-creative director | Raf Simons, since 2020 |
| Sister label | Miu Miu (Miuccia’s childhood nickname), launched 1993 |
| Shows | Prada in Milan; Miu Miu in Paris |
| Group | Prada Group, which also owns Miu Miu, Church’s and, since 2025, Versace |
| Signatures | Black nylon, the triangle logo, “ugly chic” prints, uniforms, knee-length skirts, intellectual references |
Timeline: the house of Prada
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1913 | Mario Prada opens a luxury leather-goods shop in Milan |
| 1978 | Miuccia Prada takes over; she meets business partner and future husband Patrizio Bertelli |
| 1984 | The black nylon backpack, made from parachute fabric, becomes a status object |
| 1988 | First women’s ready-to-wear collection |
| 1993 | Launch of Miu Miu and of Fondazione Prada, the art foundation |
| 1996 | Spring 1996’s “banal” prints spark the term “ugly chic” |
| 2015 | Fondazione Prada opens its Milan art complex, designed by OMA |
| 2020 | Raf Simons joins as co-creative director; their first show is Spring 2021 |
| 2022 | Miu Miu’s Spring 2022 micro-miniskirt becomes the most-shared look of the year |
| 2025 | Prada Group buys Versace |
Every Prada collection we have reviewed
| Season | Our take | Ayerhs review |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2004 | Italian Escapades | Read |
| Fall 2009 | Wild & Beyond | Read |
| Spring 2011 | 20s Vacation on Acid | Read |
| Spring 2012 | All Automotive | Read |
| Spring 2015 | Earthy Elegance | Read |
| Fall 2015 | All Pastels and Irony | Read |
| Spring 2016 | Playful Proportions | Read |
| Fall 2016 | The Vagabond Woman | Read |
| Spring 2017 | Feathers and Femme | Read |
| Spring 2018 | Tailored Defiance | Read |
| Fall 2018 | Neon Dreams and Nostalgia | Read |
| Spring 2019 | Modern Whimsy | Read |
| Fall 2019 | The Anatomy of Romance | Read |
| Spring 2020 | Warmth and Refinement | Read |
| Spring 2021 | New Beginnings (Raf Simons’s debut) | Read |
| Spring 2021 Menswear | A Minimalist’s Paradise | Read |
| Fall 2021 | Celebrating Duality | Read |
| Spring 2022 | Reimagined Tradition | Read |
| Fall 2022 | Contrasts in Motion | Read |
| Spring 2023 | Raw and Refined | Read |
| Fall 2023 | Uniforms Reimagined | Read |
| Spring 2024 | Contrasts and Craft | Read |
| Fall 2024 | Fragments of History | Read |
| Spring 2025 | Modular Fashion | Read · Show report |
| Fall 2025 | What Even Is Beautiful? | Read |
| Spring 2026 | Familiar shapes, intellect and emotion | Read |
| Fall 2026 | A wardrobe that transforms through the day | Read |
Miu Miu
| Season | Our take | Ayerhs review |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2001 | Preppy 60s Revival | Read |
| Fall 2003 | Vintage Nods | Read |
| Spring 2004 | Miuccia’s Time Capsule | Read |
| Fall 2004 | Originality Unveiled | Read |
| Spring 2021 | Sugary Sporty Delight | Read |
| Spring 2022 | A Slashed & Seductive Revamp (the micro-mini) | Read |
| Spring 2025 | Show report | Read |
| Fall 2025 | A Study in Feminine Power | Read |
| Spring 2026 | Celebrating women’s work | Read |
| Fall 2026 | Just a girl in a really big world | Read |
The 5 moments that defined Prada
1. The nylon backpack, 1984
- What happened: Miuccia made a backpack from the black military nylon Prada used to line its trunks.
- Why it mattered: It turned a cheap, practical fabric into luxury, the founding idea of everything Prada has done since.
2. Spring 1996: “ugly chic”
- What happened: Retro prints in murky greens and browns, inspired by 1970s formica and curtains, in a season of glossy glamour.
- Why it mattered: Critics named it “ugly chic”. It proved taste could be argued with, and shaped fashion for decades.
3. Spring 2011: bananas and stripes
- What happened: Baroque stripes, monkeys and bananas in clashing brights, with a nod to Josephine Baker.
- Why it mattered: Proof that Prada’s intellect could be pure joy. Read our review.
4. Spring 2021: Raf Simons arrives
- What happened: The first collection co-designed by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, shown digitally during the pandemic, with the triangle logo moved front and centre.
- Why it mattered: A rare equal partnership between two star designers, and a template for succession at a founder-led house. Read our review.
5. Miu Miu Spring 2022: the micro-mini
- What happened: A tiny pleated skirt with a cropped cable sweater and exposed waistband.
- Why it mattered: It became one of the most-photographed looks of the decade and turned Miu Miu into fashion’s hottest label. Read our review.
How to spot a Prada: signature codes
| Signature | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Re-Nylon | Black industrial nylon on bags, coats and even eveningwear |
| Triangle logo | The enamel triangle plaque, worn larger since 2020 |
| “Ugly” colour | Mustard, brown, olive, pistachio and other “wrong” shades |
| Uniforms | School, office and nurse uniforms recut as fashion |
| Knee-length skirts | Pleated, A-line or pencil, rarely short at Prada itself |
| Ideas first | Each show starts from a question about women, work or beauty |
Prada vs Miu Miu
| Prada | Miu Miu | |
|---|---|---|
| Designers | Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons | Miuccia Prada |
| Shows in | Milan | Paris |
| Mood | Intellectual, restrained, ironic | Younger, sexier, more playful |
| Key look | Nylon, uniforms, the knee-length skirt | Micro-minis, ballet flats, preppy knits |
Keep reading on Ayerhs
- Versace collections – Prada Group’s newest house
- The Great Skirt Renaissance – Prada’s Spring 2027 skirt-led show and the trend it started
- The Rise of Fashion Conglomerates
Prada collections: FAQ
Who designs Prada?
Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, as co-creative directors since 2020. Miuccia also designs Miu Miu.
What is “ugly chic”?
The name critics gave Prada’s Spring 1996 collection of deliberately drab, retro prints. It now describes any fashion that plays with bad taste on purpose.
What is the difference between Prada and Miu Miu?
Both are designed by Miuccia Prada. Prada is the main line, shown in Milan; Miu Miu, named after her nickname, is younger and more playful, and shows in Paris.
What is Prada’s most famous product?
The black nylon backpack of 1984, still reissued as Re-Nylon.
Sources: Prada Group; Fondazione Prada; Metropolitan Museum of Art, Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations; Ayerhs archive reviews.
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