My Proudest Moment

I am Miuccia Prada, and I have revolutionized the fashion industry. I have blazed a trail through the industry with disregard to what others are doing. Throughout my journey, I have exemplified fearlessness in an industry that follows the trends set by others. Despite all odds, I have developed from a series of black nylon backpacks to a company worth a billion dollars. To this day, I continue to influence everyone from those who aspire to look their best to the most wealthy of people. I was born on May 10, 1949, in Milan, Italy, making me sixty-nine years old today. I have two siblings in my family, and I am the second child. My sister is Marina Prada, and my brother is Albert Prada.

Born into a wealthy family, I was destined to influence the industry. My father is Luigi Bianchi who is the head of a putting-green mowers company, and my mother is Luisa who was the heiress of Prada but became the head of the company in 1958. Initially, I was driven to become a politician. I attended the University of Milan. While in college, In 1973, I worked hard to earn a pH.D. in political science. From there, I grew a keen interest in feminism and became interested in the left-wing of politics. Following my interests, I joined the Italian Communist Party. After college, I drifted away from politics and, instead, I attended Milan´s Piccolo Teatro, where I trained as a mime for five years.

However, following in my family’s footsteps, I became interested in fashion and joined the Prada business. I am known for using minimalist designs and adding a touch of modern to them. In 1978, I took over my mom’s job as head of the company. At this time, the company was down to only one single store. My job was to revive the company, and I did just that. In 1985, after launching a line of handbags crafted with luxurious leather imitating Chanel bags, sales increased drastically. These bags are called Pocono bags and have become my companies trademark. Perhaps my proudest moment is when I received the Glamour Award for The Fashion Force, proving to me, that I was doing something right.

My company reiterated the idea of elegance to an industry under the impression that only “sexy” sells. Although I developed my company into a fashion powerhouse, I faced many challenges. To begin, when I started, I was given a company that was stale and stagnant. I was forced to regain the company and reintroduce the brand to the public. Recovering the brand was not an easy task, but with the help of my husband, Betelli, I was able to regain the brand that is now known by so many. Additionally, in the second half of 2017, my brand faced a torrential sale slide.

However, I have learned from my mistakes and have continued to improve the quality of my designs.I joined my family’s business in 1978 to regain a company that was fading away. However, I did not work alone. My husband, Patrizio Bertelli, drastically helped me throughout my journey. From there, I began implementing designs of my own into the company. In 1985, the popularity of my company ignited. Despite my lack of fashion training, I later released a line called “uniforms for the slightly disenfranchised” which consumers loved. With Bartelli, my company grew into a powerhouse. In 1992, I introduced a more affordable label called Miu Miu.

In 1995, my company created a line of men’s clothing. From then till now, my company has continued to grow as we have persistently implemented more designs. Perhaps what I will be remembered for most is my uniqueness and willingness to set new trends. I have introduced many clothing items in the fashion industry. For example, I experimented with a transparent raincoat that then turns opaque in the contact of water. In 2004, I displayed a line of souvenir clothes and moccasins, a clear example of my uniqueness from the rest of the rich world. Therefore, clothes that most designers felt were useless; I found beautiful. Today, I remain one of the softest luxury brands available. I have developed a worthless company into a company worth a billion dollars. My designs symbolize who I am and who I want to be. I continue to ignite the creativity of other designers.