About Miu miu
Miu Miu was established in 1993 by Miuccia Prada as a more youthful and experimental offshoot of her eponymous luxury brand. The Miu Miu line allowed Miuccia to exercise her creativity with more fanciful designs that stood in contrast to Prada’s reputation for minimalism and restraint.
Miu Miu's very first handbag collection in 1994 featured small, embroidered velvet bags with an avant-garde, quirky aesthetic. The Matelassé bag, with its signature quilted leather, soon followed and became an iconic style thatANCHOR balances Miu Miu's playfulness with fine Italian craftsmanship.
A key part of Miu Miu’s enduring vision is conveying a sense of freedom, intimacy and empowerment. Miuccia Prada has consciously worked to make Miu Miu feel more personal compared to the Prada luxury juggernaut, as reflected in details like the brand name being her childhood nickname.
Over the past three decades, Miu Miu has evolved to offer a wider range of silhouettes from sizable totes to tiny novelty bags while retaining signature elements like whimsical embroidery, inventive shapes and rich embellishments. Recent standouts include the small Wander bag with movable jeweled straps and the Madras leather style featuring an ingeniously cinched shape.
Among Miu Miu’s most iconic and recognizable handbags is the 2005 Robe bag, made of silk with softly ruffled edges as if made from an elegant gown. Other enduring favorites are the Matelassé quilted bags as well as dense crystal-encrusted styles like the 2016 Bijoux bag that exemplify Miu Miu’s feminine and playful approach.
Miuccia Prada’s close friend, muse and famed photographer Steven Meisel frequently collaborates with Miu Miu to capture what Vogue describes as the brand’s ‘retro and eccentric allure.' The duo's collaborations established Miu Miu's modern, colorful and ironic style that resonates with younger and cosmopolitan consumers.