By Laura
Updated: July 5, 2023
7 minutes
Whether you want to feel a little sexy and spice things up on your night out or feel like Pharrell Williams at the Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring-Summer 2024 Fashion Show, Prada and Louis Vuitton are luxury brands you’ll find luxurious statement pieces. Elegant, splendid, sparkling, durable, and polished are words that best define Prada and Louis Vuitton products.
From casual basics, and flowy maxi dresses to timeless trench coats and handcrafted leather ankle boots, these luxury fashion brands feature runway selections from the world’s hottest designers perfect for your wardrobe. With the battle for high-quality material, vintage and bold designs, seductive and flirty styles between Prada and Louis Vuitton having escalated over the past years, many people (you included) are in a quandary.
In this article, we’ll compare the two world’s best luxury product lines – Prada vs. Louis Vuitton.
Prada vs. Louis Vuitton: Brand History
What do you learn from a brand history? Understanding the Prada and Louis Vuitton brand history will make you connect to the brand that rhymes with your fashion desires. You can only trust a brand if you know its origin, values, vision, and mission.
Analyzing the two brand histories, which one do you connect with?
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Prada |
Louis Vuitton |
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Originating country: Italy |
Originating country: France |
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Established in 1913 (110 years) |
Established in 1854 (169 years) |
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Brief History: – Prada’s history dates back to 1913 at the prestigious Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II in Milan, Italy where Mario Prada opened the first store. In the store where beautifully leather-crafted trunks, bags, and travel accessories are sold to affluent Milanese fashionistas. Due to their specialty in handcrafting elegant and durable leather products, Prada was awarded the “Official Supplier of the Italian Royal House” title in 1991. It’s then that they displayed the House of Savoy coat of arms and knotted rope trademark logo. Still today, the Italian aristocracies identify Prada by this trademark. Despite Mario having no trust in women, his daughter Luisa succeeded him and steered the company for twenty years. In the 1970s Luisa’s daughter (Miuccia) joined the company and majored in designing accessories. Eventually, she got into the business’s mainstream of producing high-quality leather luggage and other products. Miuccia brought in Patrizio Bertelli, an Italian running his own leather products business into the Prada business in 1977. This sparked business growth partly because of Patrizio’s entrepreneurial skills and Miuccia’s creative designs. It wasn’t until 1979 that Prada released the first women’s footwear and later followed by backpacks and totes. Prada grew expansively between 1983 and 1988. New shoe lines and boutiques were launched. Prada has defied all old and continues making handcrafted products that define sophistication, uniqueness, and innovation. |
Brief History: – After spending nearly 17 years as an artisanal trunk master designing custom design boxers and trunks as an employee in France, Louis Vuitton opened his first shop in 1854. He released his first designed steamer trunk in 1858. Louis opened the second bigger workshop in 1859. The Franco-Prussian War (1870 – 1872) brought the company to its knees, but Louis re-established the company and picked up well. To venture into new markets, Louis opened the first shop outside France in 1885 in London. The ingenious locking system used in Louis Vuitton products was invented by his son in 1886. New truck print designs were introduced in 1876 and again later in 1888. The iconic signature monogram (LV) would follow later in honor of his father. Vuitton passed on in 1892 and his son, Georges Vuitton, became his successor. To start fighting the insurgence of counterfeits which was affecting the company negatively, Georges made print design changes in 1886. To expand the business and set Louis Vuitton as a world brand, Georges opened the Louis Vuitton building, in Paris, in 1914. It became the largest luxurious travel goods store. Between 1930 and 1932, handbags and travel bags – Keepall, Noé, Papillon, and Alma were designed. The first men and female collection was released under the then-newly employed creative director, Marc Jacobs, in 1998. Today, Louis Vuitton is among the most luxurious brands carrying under its stores a huge collection of different product categories. |
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Main Features: – Prada’s main features include the logo which lifts high a symbol of authority- royalty design. Figuratively, it’s a direct show of authority having been a supplier of design products to the Italian royal family. Prada has stood out as the house for men’s and women’s houses of luxurious fashion products for decades. Aesthetic codes transcending down generations clearly define Prada’s life ideas and ideals. Craftsmanship and quality features in Prada’s wide array of products – leather travel bags, men’s shoes, belted trench coats, and classical handbags. |
Main Features: – The signature, LV, monogram has remained an icon feature for this world’s leading house of luxury fashion products. You’ll find this logo embedded on Louis Vuitton shoes, handbags, belts, and clothes. Get yourself a piece of Louis Vuitton jewelry and you’ll find the flower monogram featuring a four-point star that shines in the dark to guide you through your destiny. A four-petal flower sitting in a circle is another feature of LV jewelry. The brown canvas material is a feature the young and old never forget. |
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Interesting Facts: – The first store opened by Milan was initially a shop that sold trunks, steamers, travel accessories, and other leather products. Despite Prada’s popularity, some of its flashy handbags have no logs. |
Interesting Facts: – Louis Vuitton founder worked for Napoleon III wife as a trunk maker. Louis Vuitton monograms are majorly designed to fight counterfeits. |
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Reputation: Prada’s reputation is remaining the world’s hottest brand in the world. This brand is synonymous with crafting high-quality beautiful products. |
Reputation: LV’s reputation is reigning as the world’s most valuable, respected, designer luxury brand through generations. |
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Fashion Style: Prada on the one hand abides by the Northern Italian traditions –fine craftsmanship and discreet elegance. On the other –modern, Prada’s minimalistic designs. |
Fashion Style: Exclusivity, high-quality, craftsmanship fashion for fast-forward fashionistas and high-income individuals. |
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Focus on: Prada’s focus is to keep reinforcing the brand’s luxury positioning and showcasing innovative designs that appeal to its affluent target audience. |
Focus on: To diversify product offerings and venture into new markets with a strong brand image through a skimming pricing strategy. |
Bottom Line: For LV to remain relevant among the elite for 169 years is a sign of a strong commitment to company values. And for LV to reign as the go-to fashion brand by the rich and middle class across the world confirms its continued relevance to high-quality exceptional designs.
Prada is still the brand that relates to royalty. Craftsmanship and minimalistic designs are intertwined in an intellectual universe of concept, image, and structure.
Prada vs. Louis Vuitton: Price Range
Both Prada and LV are considered luxurious and thus expensive. But is it really the case? Browsing through Prada’s and Louis Vuitton’s products, the pricing story differs slightly. Comparing product lines between these two brands, you’ll find LV to be slightly more expensive.
Whether it’s leather jackets, passenger bags, totes, or high-heel women’s shoes, the prices are different.
While the most expensive shoulder bag on Prada (Quilted Nappa leather bag) will cost you $5,830 at Louis Vuitton, the LV x YK Twist MP will cost you $6,100. A male leather accent double-breasted coat will cost you $5,850 and the Merino $9,000 at LV but at Prada, a double-breasted coat sells at $6,800.
Male sneaker shoes at LV cost between $5,250 (LV Trainer Sneaker) and $1,020 (Rivoli Sneaker). Go to Prada and you’ll buy a male sneaker shoe between $1,100 and $700.
Range of items: Louis Vuitton vs. Prada
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Louis Vuitton |
Prada |
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Bags |
Read-to-wear outfits |
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Jewelry |
Shoes |
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Perfumes |
Bags |
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Watches |
Accessories |
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Art |
Lifestyle accessories |
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shoe |
Gifts |
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Perfumes |
Sunglasses |
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Ready-to-wear outfits |
Fragrance |
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Toys and furniture |
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Accessories |
Louis Vuitton vs. Prada: Social Media
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Social Media Channel |
Louis Vuitton |
Prada |
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53.8 M followers |
32M followers |
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25M followers |
7.7M followers |
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9.8M followers |
1.8M followers |
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TikTok |
11.2M followers |
1M followers |
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YouTube |
3.04M subscribers |
300K subscribers |
The huge disparity in followers and subscribers between these giant brands shouldn’t be a surprise. Before Prada was born, Louis Vuitton had established itself as the king of luxury brands across the world and marketed the brand for 59 years.
LV continues to rhyme with influential influencers and celebrities from all spheres and thus influencing more followers – especially those looking for unique fashion.
Prada vs. Louis Vuitton: Celebrities
Looking at celebrities catwalk on runways and interacting with people in the streets proudly adorned in Prada or LV designer jackets, top handle bags, and oversized logo print jersey sweatshirts, is likely to influence your choice. It’s uncommon to find a celebrity not loyal to a particular fashion brand.
Here are celebrities who love to wear Prada and Louis Vuitton.
Prada |
Louis Vuitton |
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Uma Thurman |
Bradley Cooper |
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Dakota Fanning |
Jaden Smith |
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Katherine Langford |
Jennifer Connelly |
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Marc Jacobs |
Carolyn Murphy |
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Selena Gomez |
Justin Bieber |
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Alexa Chung |
Virginie Courtin |
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Annabella Sciorra |
Liu Yifei |
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Diane Kruger |
Lady Gaga |
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Blu Cantrell |
Kirsten Dunst |
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Kate Mara |
Kanye West |
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Claire Danes |
Angelica Ross |
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Sasha Lane |
Sarah Jessica Parker |
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Taylor Swift |
Sophie Turner |
Louis Vuitton vs. Prada: Where to Buy
Louis Vuitton |
Prada |
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Outlets |
Outlets |
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Second-hand stores |
Second-hand online stores |
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Boutique |
Boutique |
Prada vs. Louis Vuitton: Identifying the Fake & Real
When buying Prada and Louis Vuitton products in outlets and boutiques be weary of counterfeits. To many, it’s hard to differentiate the original from the fake.
The first thing feature to help you differentiate between fake and real is the logo. Prada bags have an inverted triangle logo. Again, the handbags have a Prada serial number written on a small white tag inside the interior pocket. Ensure the stitches are complete and straight, there are no tweaks on the Prada name, the Prada brand inside the bag, and the inside of the product has a quality assurance tag to know the Prada product is original.
If you go with Louis Vuitton, the original has the stamping and lettering done perfectly without crooks and trims, the Vachetta Leather is extremely light if the bag is new, there is no serial number attached to the bag, and there’s a date code stamped on the interior lining or the interior tag.
Prada vs. Louis Vuitton: Which One Should You Choose?
Personal choices and preferences are always different. But when it comes to luxury products like the Prada and Louis Vuitton products, self-actualization, self-esteem, love, and belonging take center stage. If you belong to the affluent group, choose Louis Vuitton products. Do you belong to the Generation Z middle class? LV has fancy outfits for all your occasions.
Prada has classy bags renowned for their quality. For all your traveling needs, choose trunks and shoulder bags from Prada. If you’d love respect, self-recognition, and maintaining your status quo, the monograms on Prada products should make it your favorite choice.
