Bold Luxury by Prada

Prada is unquestionably one of Italy’s great brands, a model of elegance and luxury that retains an avant-garde edge. It’s a winning combination with a sophistication all its own!

A Century of Greatness

The House of Prada belongs to a long tradition of craftsmanship established by Mario Prada in 1913. Located at Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Prada's leather goods store sold high quality bags and travel accessories. The business flourished, and Mario was even appointed Official Supplier to the Italian Royal House in 1919. It was then that Prada added the House of Savoy coat of arms and knotted rope to its logo.

The winds of change blew through Prada in the mid-1970s as Mario’s granddaughter Miuccia took charge of the family business. In 1977 she met her future husband Patrizio Bertelli, a leather goods entrepreneur, who urged her to stop importing products and have Prada make all its accessories in house. Together they developed a process that strictly controlled everything from the design to the finished product to guarantee the finest quality. Miuccia’s fresh, original designs gave the brand a new vitality.

New Generation

The couple’s arrival would be a turning point for the company. Under their leadership it spread its wings, launching the first Prada shoe collection in 1979 and opening a string of new boutiques in the world’s great fashion centres in 1983, among other projects.

Miuccia and Patrizio have always been deeply passionate about art. For them, culture is a vehicle for spreading knowledge as well as a royal road to the perpetual enhancement of human capacities. “Prada Green” lighting, a key element in the ambiance of Prada boutiques, is a prime example of their signature aesthetic.

World Conquest

Emboldened by the success of its new accessories, Prada launched its first ready-to-wear collection for women in 1988, followed five years later by the menswear collection in 1993. The 1990s and 2000s were marked by Prada’s move into the Asian and American markets and its acquisition of two historic shoemakers—Church’s Footwear and Car Shoe. Another highlight was Miuccia’s 1993 launch of her designer label Miu Miu, a line of younger, more casual  clothing and accessories.

Today the business founded by Mario Prada, now known as Prada Group, is one of the world’s most influential luxury brands, with more than 400 stores  in 70 countries.

Bold, Modern Frames

Prada and Miu Miu launched their first eyewear collections in 2000. The frames are distributed worldwide by Italian manufacturer Luxottica and have earned recognition over the years both as fashion trendsetters and as a source of classic, versatile, looks. Like all Prada accessories, Prada’s prescription and sunglass frames are known for their outstanding quality—a product of the Italian manufacturing tradition—and for that touch of boldness. Sunglass collections like Minimal Baroque (those Rococo-style temples!) or Prada Cinema really show off the house’s creative spark and have been a blockbuster hit worldwide. A host of celebrities like Rihanna, Ashley Olsen, and Kanye West have also been spotted sporting Prada sunglasses.

Prada’s prescription frames include new takes on a wide range of classic styles. Oversize, butterfly, and square frames feature prominently, often in hues of black, tortoise, or red. The Linea Rossa Collection has sportier models popular with the guys. Check out a few models from the Prada Spring–Summer 2019 collection below.

So there it is—Prada is Italian luxury at its finest, just the thing for anyone interested in adding a dash of glamour to their look. You can find a selection of Prada frames in many Opto-Réseau clinics.