Prada Paris Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré_ENG - Prada Group

press release
PRADA UNVEILS “6 RUE DU FAUBOURG SAINT HONORE” IN PARIS
Milan, Italy, 24 January 2012 – Prada opens its historic store in Rue du Faubourg Saint-
Honoré in Paris, France, following its extension and architectural and image renewal.
The store, designed by Architect Roberto Baciocchi, stems from the evolution of the design
themes that Prada investigated in the recent history of retail store image, and it reviews the
brand's architectural language in tune with the building's special nature: an early 19th
century palace in the heart of Paris.
The store, on three levels, occupies a gross surface of 1900 square metres and it displays the
men's and women's accessories, leather goods, footwear and ready-to-wear collections.
The building's façade features the architectural elements that characterise the original
Prada store in Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II: curved windows, the materials and the
window casings decorations; metal and coloured fabric awnings are added to give the whole
design a modern twist.
The ground floor is an impressive marble and mirrors gallery that opens onto different,
collected spaces. Special rooms covered in Prada green fabric carry exclusive leather goods,
while black marble and mirrors accommodate the accessories.
The black and white veined marble floor of the gallery, an heritage from Prada's luxurious
stores and historic image, is distorted to become almost optical.
The perspectives generated by this design highlight the displays located in the centre of the
room and make the more intimate rooms very special.
Walls are renewed by means of an original interpretation of Prada's historic display niche:
a suspended volume made of crystal with palladium metal profiles.
As they walk through the series of rooms, customers finally reach a crystal circular display
case that appears to be generated by the spiral whirl drawn on the floor. This window, that
displays footwear, is inserted almost as a contrast against the room's soft green velvet
curtain.
The bright colours of saffiano, red, green and blue displays, make up the design of the new
display counters. Dark green velvet covers the “Cover Leaf” sofas, designed by Verner
Panton and exclusively reproduced for Prada, to make the whole setting soft and beguiling.
A black marble staircase, inserted in a large display fixture, leads from the ground floor to
the basement, dedicated to the women's ready-to-wear collection.

The walls are totally covered in green silk curtains that transform it into a modern atelier;
where the private experience of a fitting room seems to extend to the whole space.
In contrast, perspex blades display cases, transparent skylights, perspex and steel tables
with unusual geometrical shapes and supple green velvet sofas make this space very
seductive.
A second staircase, curved, covered in black marble with ebony walls, leads to the first floor
dedicated to the men's collection.
Here, the masculine, tailor's character is interpreted through the flooring in thin staves of
ebony and the curtains on the walls in wood and coloured saffiano.
Bright orange has been chosen for the footwear salon.
The central space, that opens onto Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré and offers ready-to-wear,
features cases and counters in palladium metal and crystal with coloured display insets.
The second floor houses an elegant and exclusive private apartment that faces on Rue du
Faubourg Saint Honoré, entirely reserved to Prada's most special guests.
For further information:
Press Office
+39.02541921
ufficio.stampa@prada.com