Prada was established in Milan in 1913 by Mario Prada, Miuccia Prada’s grandfather, in the prestigious Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in the heart of downtown Milan.

Back then, Prada was a single exclusive and refined boutique selling luxury items and travel accessories, made by expert craftsmen in precious materials and leathers and using sophisticated techniques. It wasn’t long before the shop in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II became a favourite port of call for the aristocracy and the more refined and elegant members of Europe’s upper classes. In 1919, Prada was appointed Official Supplier to the Italian Royal Household; as such, it incorporated the House of Savoy’s coat of arms and knotted rope design into its logo. At the end of the 1970s, at a trade fair, Patrizio Bertelli met Miuccia Prada - who later became his wife - and signed an agreement with her for the production and distribution of leather goods under the Prada brand; this was the beginning of a partnership whose success is renowned and exemplified by the history of the Prada Group, one of the world leaders in the luxury goods market.

Patrizio Bertelli’s ability to perceive the changes in fashion and the market, and to grasp its aspirations, lead him to revisit the Prada brand image without altering its DNA, adding a modern approach to the brand’s know-how and centennial history. Then, by bringing all internal processes together, he introduced an innovative business model in order to achieve full control of the production line and the highest levels quality and attention to detail.

At the same time, Miuccia Prada’s profound cultural roots, and her unconventional way of observing society and the environment, allowed her to anticipate trends with innovative ideas that never transcended the fundamental value of the company’s historic craftsmanship; a delicate balance that catapulted the company into the international arena, allowing Prada to be nominated as one of the world’s one hundred most valuable brands in the Interbrand ranking.

During the 1980s Prada grows exponentially, resulting in the creation of the women’s footwear collections in 1983, the launch of the Prada Donna clothing line in 1988, and in the birth of Miu Miu - a brand with a strong, provocative and sophisticated personality that is also casual and avant-garde - and the Prada Uomo line. Later on, in 1999, Prada acquired Church’s, the leading brand in the luxury classic footwear sector, followed in 2001 by  Car Shoe, inventor of the driving moccasin with soft sole with small rubber inserts, patented in 1963, followed by the luxury pastry shop Marchesi 1824 in 2014. In 2000 the Prada and Miu Miu eyewear collections were launched, followed by the fragrance collections for both brands. At the same time, the distribution network for all brands was developed in line with an international expansion plan of directly-operated stores. At the end of the nineties, Patrizio Bertelli and Miuccia Prada decided to revisit the concept of shopping in collaboration with the finest architects such as Rem Koolhaas and Herzog & de Meuron (both winners of the Pritzker Prize). Thus the highly-acclaimed “Prada Epicentres” - complementary sales points to the traditional boutique network - became urban architectural points of reference in which luxury products, design and cutting-edge technology merge into a series of exclusive experiences and services. Just an example that would later be a concept imitated by the largest brands in the sector.

On June 24th 2011, Prada S.p.A. listed 20% of its shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange (HKSE).

The Prada Group currently has 635 directly operated stores in 70 countries. It has a turnover of 3.1 billion euros and more than 13,000 direct employees worldwide (figures as at 31st  December 2021). The Prada Group’s horizons transcend the boundaries of fashion: art, architecture, cinema, culture and sport are an integral part of the brand’s fundamental values.

In 1993, Fondazione Prada was founded with the aim of organizing and sponsoring contemporary art exhibitions, film reviews and many other cultural activities that have received international acclaim and recognition. In May 2011, Fondazione Prada opened an exhibition space in Venice in the eighteenth-century Ca’ Corner della Regina palace, overlooking the Grand Canal, whose preservation and repair is also under the care of Fondazione Prada. In May 2015, it inaugurated its permanent 19,000m² venue in Largo Isarco, Milan in a former industrial complex of the early twentieth century reinterpreted by Rem Koolhaas, which quickly became one of the world’s predominant artistic and cultural centres and a celebrated public focal point.

Finally, in December 2016, the Observatory was inaugurated, a site dedicated to photography in Milan’s historic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

A fervent sailor, in 1997 Patrizio Bertelli created the “Prada Challenge for the America’s Cup 2000” team, launching the challenge to the America’s Cup, the oldest trophy in the history of sport and the most legendary international sailing competition.

Prada participated as a sponsor of the “Luna Rossa Challenge” team in four editions of the America’s Cup (2000, 2003, 2007 and 2013), winning the challengers selection in 2000 and reaching the finals in 2007 and 2013. In June 2017, Luna Rossa once again launched a challenge for the America’s Cup, becoming the Challenger of Record of the 36th edition, which took place in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2021.

In addition, Prada became Title Sponsor of the challenger selection regattas - now called “Prada Cup” - and Presenting Sponsor of the 36th America’s Cup.

In 2012 Patrizio Bertelli was the first Italian to be inducted in the America’s Cup Hall of Fame.

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