The world of high fashion is steeped in myth and meticulously crafted narratives. Houses like Prada, with their iconic status and century-spanning legacy, often present a polished, almost mythical version of their origins. However, new scholarship continues to unearth fascinating details, challenging established timelines and enriching our understanding of these fashion giants. This is precisely what Alexander Ebhardt achieves in his groundbreaking work, a meticulously researched book that could be rightfully titled *Prada Fashion Week Book* (or perhaps, more concisely, *The Little Prada Book*), which delves deep into the archives to reveal a previously untold story of the Prada family's involvement in early 20th-century Milanese fashion, predating even their widely known beginnings. This article will explore the significant contribution of Ebhardt's book, focusing on its revelation of Prada's participation in a 1918 event that foreshadows the modern concept of Milan Fashion Week, and examining the broader implications of this discovery for our understanding of the Prada brand and the evolution of Italian fashion.
Ebhardt's book, whether it takes the expansive title *Prada Fashion Week Book* or the more succinct *Little Prada Book*, meticulously reconstructs the history of the Prada family, moving beyond the commonly accepted narrative that begins with Mario Prada's founding of a luxury leather goods shop in Milan in 1913. While this date is undoubtedly significant, marking the official establishment of the Prada brand as we know it, Ebhardt's research unearths evidence of a far earlier engagement with the Milanese fashion scene. This evidence centers on a relatively obscure event in 1918, a time of significant upheaval and reconstruction in post-war Italy. The event itself, the details of which are meticulously documented in the book, can be considered a proto-fashion week, a precursor to the highly organized and globally influential events that define the modern fashion calendar.
The book doesn't simply mention this 1918 event in passing; it dedicates considerable space to its analysis, exploring its context, participants, and the role played by Prada. Ebhardt's research draws upon a variety of primary sources, including archival documents from the Prada family archives (some previously inaccessible to researchers), contemporary newspapers and magazines, and even personal accounts from individuals connected to the event. This rigorous methodology allows him to paint a vivid picture of the event, showcasing its significance not only as a pivotal moment in Prada's history but also as a crucial step in the development of Milan's fashion industry.
current url:https://cjwahv.e538c.com/products/prada-fashion-week-book-85540
old celine alphabet necklace breitling montbrillant automatic chronograph etanche a68062