SPOTLIGHT

Please welcome back Prada's 2000 and 2005 Re-Editions

The Prada Re-Edition bags are everywhere and you can’t avoid seeing them online or on the street. But what’s the story behind them and why do all the fashionistas love them so much

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Photo by Getty Images

To understand the importance of these nylon bags, you have to know a little bit about Prada and Miuccia Prada. If you’re a lover of fashion, you might already know this, but let’s do a quick recap.

The beginning of Prada

Fratelli Prada – meaning ‘Prada Brothers’ –  opened its doors in 1913 and was brothers Mario and Martino Prada’s first luxury leather goods store, which offered travel trunks, bags and accessories. Mario was the patriarch of the Prada family and didn’t believe that women should work outside of the home meaning female family members were excluded from the family business. When he died in 1952 his only son, however, wasn’t interested in carrying on the business. Instead Mario’s daughter Luisa took over in 1958. During her more than 20 year reign,  Prada experienced a slow but steady decline. That was until her daughter Miuccia joined in 1975.

Miuccia Prada is, as previously mentioned, the granddaughter of one of the founding Prada brothers. She started as an accessories designer, when she first joined in 1975 and quickly succeeded her mother as head of the brand in 1978.

Miuccia Prada. Photo by Brigitte Lacombe & Willy Vanderperre via Hypebae

Miuccia is often credited for a lot of Prada’s succes at the end of the 90s and a lot of this has to do with the famous nylon bags. Miucccia came up with the concept for the nylon bags early in her career. She was – and is – a feminist and saw the family business as a way to provoke the normative notions of femininity, beauty and taste. For her first bag, the Vela backpack, she therefor chose a material not commonly seen as very feminine. The Vela was made in the extremely durable Pocono nylon also used for military tents. The bag didn’t get a lot of attention at the time but it was relaunched in 1985 with a branded twist to it – the now easily recognizable triangular logo plaque on the front.

When talking about why she chose nylon to make her mark on the family business, Miuccia has said, “Back then, I didn’t really like anything I saw. It all just looked so old and bourgeois and boring. I just wanted to search for the absolute opposite of what was already out there”.

It’s safe to say that Miuccia did just that. The nylon bags were, and still are to this day, light and fun but undoubtedly fashionable. And they’re still being worn – either vintage or Re-Editions – by your favorite celebrities, models, fashionistas and influencers.

Today Prada is practically synonymous with nylon! The material – along with Saffiano leather – is what made Prada reach the level of fame that it has today. It’s durable and strong as well as water-resistant, so it makes for a practical and fashion forward bag.

If you want to know more about the now iconic fashion house, read more in our Prada Bible, otherwise let’s get to the Re-Editions!

The story of the Re-Editions

Both the 2000 and 2005 Prada Nylon Bags came out in the early 2000s – 2000 and 2005 respectively, hence the names. They were very popular then and both Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner, along with many other celebrities, have been spotted wearing the vintage styles, shining the spotlight back on the small nylon bags.

Because of this, the nylon bags where already making a comeback and with the addition of the late 90s and early 2000s – Y2K – trending at the moment, it makes sense that they’ve risen to popularity once again. If you want to partake in the Y2K trend in a very understated way, these bags are definitely one way to go about it.

Both the 2000 and 2005 Re-Editions are small bags, but they can hold a lot more than you’d think and the choice of material make them very durable bag. They’re also both relatively simple bags – making them appropriate for both a chill day in the park or a night out

If you’re looking to buy firsthand, the 2000 Re-Edition in black costs £890 and the 2005 Re-Edition in black is a bit more pricey, starting at £1,300. The bags appear to be very similar at first glance, but they’re some differences worth pointing out. Both bags measure 22 inches in width but the length and height are scaled down by one inch on the 2000 Re-Edition. The difference in price is to do with more than just the size, so read on to figure out the similarities and differences between the Re-Editions and their vintage counterparts!

Bella Hadid. Photo from Getty Images via British Vogue

Kendall Jenner. Photo by Getty Images via British Vogue

Prada Re-Edition 2000 Nylon Bag

Let’s start off with the earliest version of the small nylon bag. The 2000 Re-Edition Nylon bags is a mini bag in all its glory. It’s a simpler version of the 2005 Re-Edition – which we’ll get to – hence the lower price point.

The original 2000 nylon bag was released in the year 2000 but was unfortunately discontinued. Prada decided to bring it back as a Re-Edition in 2020.

The bag has a baguette-like shape, is made of nylon – obviously – and features a short fabric strap making it the perfect shoulder bag for outings during both day and night. It has the Prada logo plaque on the front and comes with a keychain that reads ‘Prada Re-Edition 2000’.

The shape and size is identical to its vintage counterpart, but the interior has been changed slightly as the Re-Edition is a bit more structured. The Re-Edition also has logo lining which differentiates from its vintage predecessor.

The bag is available in muted colors such as white, beige and black, but it’s also available in attention grabbing colors like blue, red, pink and yellow. As previously mentioned, the Y2K trend is going strong right now and the Prada Re-Edition 2000 Nylon bag definitely passes the vibe check.

Prada Re-Edition 2005 Nylon Bag

The Prada 2005 Nylon Bag was released in 2005, explaining the name. At the time nylon wasn’t as luxurious as leather, but it was durable and practical. Today, nylon is super popular.

The Prada Re-Edition 2005 Nylon bag has a removable strap with an extra – also removable – zip pocket or coin purse with its own logo plaque and a shorter key link chain. It’s therefor possible to wear the 2005 Re-Edition either as a crossbody or shoulder bag. It also has a Saffiano leather keyring reading ‘Prada Re-Edition 2005’. The size and shape is, just like the 2000 Re-Edition, the same as the vintage version of the bag, but the interior of the bag has been altered since its first release and is much more structured now.

Functionality is a big part of this bag as it allows you to wear it crossbody or as a shoulder bag and the addition of the coin purse allows you to keep more things with you on the go.

Just like the 2000 Re-Edition, it’s available in eye catching colors as well as more muted ones, proving that there’s a Prada Re-Edition for everyone.

Photo via Hype Clothinga

Special Editions

You can, as part of the Re-Editions, also get the 2000 and 2005 nylon bags as special editions meaning they have additional details. They’re come in different sizes and you can even get a ruched 2000 Re-Edition as well – as seen on Dua Lipa! The Re-Edition 2000 Nylon Bag with artificial crystals has also become very popular recently.

In regards to different sizes, it’s possible to buy a smaller mini bag and it’s also possible to get your hands on a style more reminiscent of the Bandoliera Tessuto, which has a much more vintage feel to it.

If you however like the styles as they are and just want a small twist, you can get them in a different material – soft terry or raffia are two options – or perhaps with embroidery for an extra touch.

The Prada Nylon bags are back and it seems like they’re here to stay.

Raffia Prada Re-Edition 2005 and crystal embellished Prada Re-Edition 2000. Photos via Prada

Written by Alberte Gram
Alberte Gram is a fashion writer based in London
The people pictured are not associated with The Archive
or The Vintage Bar, and do not endorse the products shown.