Prada: The Pioneer of Luxury Sneakers

In 1997, long before luxury sneakers were trending, Prada anticipated this trend and launched the so-called “America’s Cup.”

Every fashionista will remember how the light gray rubberised soul with round edges and leather and mesh upper, broke the records and got people rushing to the stores of Prada. And the unforgettable, two red lines running down the heel and the tongue. These nicknamed as ‘America’s Cup’ became a footwear icon in the late Nineties and early Aughts.

Before people were fawning over Balenciaga’s Triple S and Alexander McQueen’s chunky-soled sneakers, they were going gaga over the distinctive and defining sportswear-tinged style sneakers designed by Prada as an inaugural example of the luxury sneaker trend.

They were launched in 1997 as a part of the Linea Rossa technical collection of high-performance apparel and accessories. Coming through 23 years now, they have been featured  in various exhibitions such as the 2003 showcase “1950/2000 Theater of Italian Creativity” curated by architect Gae Aulenti in New York, and most recently in “Playground — The Design of Sneakers,” an exhibit at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Bordeaux, France.

This story began from what seems as a brew of a personal passion and entrepreneurial intuition.

On a fine afternoon of Feb. 3, 1997, Prada’s co-chief executive officer Patrizio Bertelli, who is an avid sailor, was in conversation with yacht designer Gérman Frers adn had decided to take part in the 2000 edition of the America’s Cup challenge for the first time.

They started to gain more attention as they were worn by Luna Rossa sailboat team wore them as part of their official uniforms. Prada’s America’s Cup soon became hip because it resonated to an audience worldwide and not just sportsmen. It soon became a pillar of pillar of the Linea Rossa collection. Prada also marked its signature on the world as an Italian company who aims at building a better lifestyle.

Just like other fashion product icons, they soon became a must-have among the youths and countercultures. Everyone from the BCBG girls in Paris to the bourgeois boys in Milan wanted a pair  of these shoes. Prada has been gaining popularity throughout the years by releasing different versions of these shoes. In addition to the low-top, lace-up version, they have been produced with Velcro closures and in a high-top style.

Later on, Prada marked nother milestone by anticipating another trend that would get popular among sportswear giants. Certain Prada stores offered customise, made-to-order sneakers that were available in 16 colors and four materials. The unit at Milan, Corso Venezia had a dedicated corner where customers were taken through the customization process and coult make use of detachable uppers applied with Velcro to the frame of the sneakers to provide an idea of the final result.

They never really went out of production but recently have been making headlines again as the Linea Rossa collection returned front and center on the Prada runways. The revisited design — with a chunkier sole and tapered toe — debuted as part of the spring 2018 collection.

Now the market for luxury sneakers is competitive and another Paris-based millennial, Marc Gandziri set up a an Instagram account, @thecuplture, to bring fans of the cup across the globe together.

These sneakers mean so much more than just a regular fashion accessory. He takes the cups as a unifying shoe that he has spotted people ranging from all classes and ages sporting it.