The Last Place You Would Expect to See a Prada Store

Scandinavian artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset builds a seemingly typical Prada store, except that it stands in the middle of nowhere and there is no operational door to let would-be buyers in. Residing on a desolate stretch of road on US Route 90 in West Texas, Prada Marfa is an $80,000 art installation funded by the New York nonprofit Art Production Fund in collaboration with Ballroom Marfa, a local contemporary art gallery. Installed in 2005, the Berlin-based duo conceived the idea of Prada Marfa as “a “poignant critique of our contemporary consumer culture” and considers the gradual and natural degradation of the structure as part of the art. Despite of its name, the project was not initiated by the high-end retailer but the large supporter of contemporary art showed its support by supplying 6 handbags and 20 pairs of women’s shoes from their fall/winter 2005 collection to adorn the window display and store shelves.

To view another article on what’s in a name, try Peddy Mergui’s Organic or Designer?