Is the holding company for I Pellettieri d'Italia S.p.A., the leather goods business at the heart of the Prada fashion empire, and other related enterprises, such as Church & Company shoes and the Jil Sander line of women's clothes. Time magazine called Miuccia Prada the most influential fashion designer of the 1990s

In 1979, Miuccia Prada designed what would eventually become her first commercial hit--backpacks and totes made of a tough, military spec black nylon that her grandfather had used as a protective covering for steamer trunks. Success was not instant, however.

OncA ready-to-wear collection of women's clothes debuted in 1989. Prada's clothing designs were known for their dropped waistlines and narrow belts. They also often had a retro element: both Miuccia Prada and her mother rarely threw out their old dresses.