Newsfeed
Against the grain of fashion’s relentless demand for newness, the enduring appeal of the Prada Galleria bears witness to our dystopian era that’s craving structure, stability, familiarity and comfort. When Mario Prada opened his first flagship boutique at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan in 1913, on the eve of the First World War, their destinies would become entwined forever more. The four-story, Neo Renaissance-style arcade designed by Italian architect Giuseppe Mengoni in 1861 was restored to his former glory after heavy bombing shattered its magnificent glass dome during World War Two – a testament to triumph over tragedy. Three generations later, with Mario’s youngest granddaughter Miuccia at the helm, in 2007, the Prada Galleria was born, taking its name from the iconic
Milanese landmark.
The three-pocket, top-handled triangular prism carries many of Miuccia Prada’s signatures – studious, sensible, and understated. Futhermore, Saffiano leather made from genuine calfskin coated with a wax layer to create a cross-hatched, water-resistant finish – a technique patented by Mario Prada himself in 1913 – cements its status as a hard-working, hard-wearing, everyday essential.
Since its genesis in 2007, there have been too many iterations of the Galleria for Prada to keep count. A ceaseless succession of solid shades has given way to graphic shapes and contrasting pops of colour, but 2024 sees innovations in fabrication usher in new design possibilities. Soft Grain – supple calfskin with a nappa lining offers not only a more relaxed silhouette but also fresh opportunities for embellishment. The result? Gold-plated microstuds and handcrafted appliqué buds abound. Not to be forgotten, Prada’s trademark Saffiano leather is printed with vibrant blooms for a burst of energy.
Although the brand remain tight-lipped about the number of Galleria bags sold so far, seeing the totemic tote in the wild, tucked into the crooks of the arms of the most put-together of Pradaphiles from Hollywood actresses such as Scarlett Johansson and Hunter Schafer to Middle Eastern muses Balqees Fathi and Salma Abu Deif via international fashion personalities Caro Daur and Tiffany Hsu speaks volumes about the way it’s been embraced by its intended demographic.
Far from the imposing glass dome of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, nearly 400km south of Milan, another architectural marvel stands tall, marking a significant chapter in the evolution of the Prada Galleria. The garden factory of Valvigna in Tuscany has been Prada’s industrial headquarters since its inauguration in 2018 and has become the birthplace of the Galleria. Masterminded by Italian architect Guido Canali – who boasts a 20-year partnership with the Italian brand – the suitably minimalist, award-winning complex houses: the production division; Prada and Miu Miu leather goods collections development department; warehouses for raw materials; and the leather goods and footwear archives. Vertical gardens, glass ceilings, and landscaping that brings the outdoors in belie its surroundings.
True to the nation’s Made in Italy values, it takes one full day – which according to EU labour law is eight hours, but make that seven, if you include a jaunt to one of local trattorias for pasta for lunch. And rather than a divide-and-conquer approach to the process, each Prada Galleria comprises 83, hand-finished pieces included gold-plated metal hardware of an unspecified carat to be painstakingly assembled entirely by one highly skilled artisan from beginning to end.
Executive director and co-creative director Miuccia may be the latest in her bloodline to devote her career to the business, -but the Italian fashion house is making sure its legacy lives on far beyond the family name. Thanks to the visionary Prada Academy, founded in the early 2000s, a new crop of apprentices have the chance to learn manufacturing processes of leather goods, ready-to-wear and footwear from experienced artisans on the premises in Valvigna, assuring the future of the Prada Galleria remains in safe hands.
