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PradaThe company, originally known in Italian as Fratelli Prada ("Prada Brothers"), was founded in 1913 by Mario Prada. In 1978, Mario's granddaughter Miuccia Prada inherited what was still a leather goods business from her mother, and led the company's expansion into haute couture. Miuccia first gained her reputation for creative use of materials and simple, modern lines with her 1985 line of sleek black handbags made from parachute nylon. These novel, high-priced bags quickly became widely sought-after, and spawned a global industry of counterfeit Prada goods. Prada's first prêt-à-porter, or "ready-to-wear" collection was designed by Miuccia Prada in the autumn/winter season of 1989. The collection's plain, modern lines were a stark contrast to other labels' flamboyant, sexual designs, and fueled a sharp rise in Prada's popularity. Prada rose to fashion primacy in the early 1990s on a look epitomized by thick, square glasses and garish colors known as "Prada Ugly." Prada takes a decidedly -- and consciously -- intellectual approach to fashion. The look of the early 00's has been described as that of a "chic neo-fascist army" by the New York Times. Other critics have described Prada's look by comparing it to Gucci's: While the Gucci girl is swigging shots of tequila in the back of a nightclub wearing a miniskirt and halter top, the Prada girl is reading Proust in a cafe.
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