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575 BROADWAY
NEW YORK NY 10012-3230

Prada – The Lowdown

Designed in 2000, the Prada store in Soho was a pioneer of the immersive retail concept store movement. Intended to shakeup public perception of the luxury brand, Dutch modernist Rem Koolhaas was enlisted to create a space adaptable to cultural performances, with products for sale featured as stand-alone pieces of art. A fusion of high-end boutique, gallery, and performance space, the store remains an ongoing experiment into the evolving shape of brick-and-mortar retail and consumption. Most notable is the sine-wave curve ramp that divides the 23,000-square foot space into two levels, and also allows for the incline’s conversion to audience seating for the occasional show. Garments are housed in overhead boxes that can be moved about the store like an art installation.

Adding to the high-tech vibe are temperature-controlled fitting rooms with changing-room doors that turn frosted when occupied. Video cameras allow you to review potential purchase in real time from all angles. Just don’t inform the sales associates that you’ve wanted to visit ever the spot since Carrie dragged a reluctant Berger along to a shopping expedition in season six of SATC.