Projects for Prada Part 1

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Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas's firm, OMA, and Italian fashion house Prada have a lot in common: They both existed for years before they became the pets of the American moneyed elite in the mid to late 1990s. They both eschew conventional notions of what's elegant or pleasing to the eye--Koolhaas's designs often look like post-industrial origami, and Prada's like uniforms for a really chic neo-Fascist army. Most of all, they're both poised for a transition from designerati darlings to global household words.

For all of these reasons, one supposes it's fitting that Miuccia Prada sought out Koolhaas and associates to design three new "epicenter" stores for the company--in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco--and to create Prada's Web site. They've documented that collaboration in this hefty, molto stile paperback that illustrates how they've rethought the shopping experience in ways both high-flown (in NYC, a shoe section that converts to a theater for performances and other "non-shopping events"; an electronic customer-identification/service system that either promises or threatens to track shoppers and their "needs" more closely than the FBI's) and cleverly common-sensical (dressing rooms with simultaneous, digitally-produced front, back and side-views, phones for requesting another size, and walls you can shift from translucent--so you can model for your friends--to frosted, for privacy).

Design-wise, the stores say "Koolhaas" as we know him so far--the facade of the San Francisco one, for example, is all perforated-looking metallic grids, and elsewhere there are shiny, swooping ceilings and walls, plus glass elevators that hover among glass floors like huge floating rooms. But most of what we see in this book is funky, moody photography of the sites' models, thickly populated by white figurines with the same unsmiling hauteur of Prada's sexy real-life runway models (not enough of which are featured here, by the way). The book's minimal text, though boldly designed, strikes a strange note somewhere between the usual half-cryptic semio-speak of Koolhaas's other books, and the oppressive language of corporate self-promotion ("Our ambition is to capture attention and then, once we have it, to hand it back to the customer."). But then, isn't that as it should be? With both Koolhaas and Prada, you often suspect that their recent stranglehold over American fashionistas and theory-queens alike is of great amusement to them. Between these pages, the joke once again might be on us, but who can't take a little joke when it's as stylishly presented as it is here?--Timothy Murphy

Book Description

With his inimitable style and unique view of architecture and design in the international urban milieu, Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas presents his theories and designs for Prada Stores in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco in this new book, "Projects for Prada Part 1." Beginning with the idea that "Indefinite expansion represents a crisis...it spells the end of the brand as a creative enterprise," Koolhaas suggests as an alternative to this dreary result that "...expansion can also be used for a permanent redefinition of the brand...the epicenter store becomes a device that renews the brand by counteracting and destabilizing any received notion of what Prada is, does, or will become." From this introduction, Koolhaas proceeds to consider general ideas of brand, expansion, tourism, and workspace, before launching into the specifics of his plans and designs for the three locations, each of which are presented in distinct sections. The book concludes with the plans he developed for the use of technology in the stores; expanding the usual definitions of architecture and design to include information technology. This volume is chock full of images: photographs, drawings, graphs, charts, all of the visual information that Koolhaas has become known for through such books as "S,M,L,XL," and "Mutations." In "Projects for Prada Part 1," his working methods and thought processes for this unique design job are presented with remarkable depth.

Customer Reviews:

Poor Craftsmanship.......2005-10-08

The content and design of this thick book is great. Unfortunately the quality of the manufacture of this book in no way reflects the merchandise produced by PRADA. Prior to removing the book from the shrink-wrapped plastic it was obvious that a stain from the glue had soaked thru the cover. After reading the volume for about 30 minutes the cover completely seperated from pages. Utterly disappointing.

delirious koolhaas.......2004-09-28

It seems like Koolhaas can never get out of graphic design architecture. At one point he became interesting but is now becoming like fashion designers where trend and surface have more meaning. Perhaps, he should quit architecture and become a graphic or fashion designer. Delirious Koolhaas.
The Prada Boutique in Beverly Hills is quite nice. I recommend seeing his real buildings instead of buying books and if you have to buy his books, I recommend you first read "Delirious New York" and look at his competition entries for Park de la Villette and early works.

same old same old.......2003-11-22

enough with the picture books and a little more substance please. i enjoy koolhaas but he is making more money on books than his buildings. the prada store sucks and he is becoming a sellout. spend your money on something else or save it because all of his new books are garbage. just because you have a lot of pictures and images does not mean you should put it into one UNEDITED book.

What can Prada be?.......2002-05-11

The other review here is quite good and explains the book quite nicely, so I will try not to be redundant. But I really found this book brilliant from a retail sales standpoint. I once had a professor of music history ask the question, "what can music be?", and this book asks the similar question of "what can shopping be?" Much credit has to be given to Prada for their investment of time and money into projects that really stretch the boundaries of the luxury shopping experience (and thanks to Rem Koolhaas and OMA/AMO for their incredible designs). And to prove that all these concepts are not merely theorized ideas neatly bound in a book, you simply need walk into the Prada SoHo 'Epicenter' store to see what it's all about.

Planet Prada ?.......2001-10-19

Do you love Prada? Do you hate Prada? Does the sight of those mint green walls and that little metallic triangle bring you a rush of assurance? Or does it intimidate the hell out of you?
One thing you'll conclude by the time you wallow through "Projects For Prada Pt 1" brought to you by Oma/Amo's Rem Koolhaas and the Fondazione Prada Edizioni, is that Prada IT is certainly not resting on their laurels.
Speaking of laurels, if you have always suspected the Prada company as being somewhat imperial (in the very Roman sense of the expression) then "P for P 1" is going to do very little to dispel your paranoia. In fact it'll probably amplify it. Big time.
A mere six pages in and you're hit full frontal with the boldfaced word "Expansion" before being treated to a hilarious series of conceptual maps that poses the idea of Prada vs Population, Prada vs GDP, Prada vs National Debt before concluding with the totalitarian proposition of "Prada World".(What you wouldn't give to see the look on Patrizio Bertelli's face when he saw that in the proofs .)
From that ambitious point, as they say in the streets, It's on.
The section titled "Tourism" treats you to what is in essence an exploded view of the brand's flagship store in Milan, the Prada workspace (showroom, buyer's space, prototypes. )
You then segue into an elegant distillation of Koolhaas's idea of where the Prada brand could legitimately evolve, from what the brand's idea of luxury is (or is that " will be"), to the indispensable visual elements that all the stores should carry.
After all the preamble you finally get to the nitty gritty of what Koolhaas plans for each Prada store slated to be opened in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
And that means the already infamous shoe theater in NY, the underground shop windows of LA and most architectually daunting of all, the eight story Prada tower in SF complete with a mind boggling swiss-cheese facade.
And Rem's not done with you yet.. The perverse video outakes of the behind the scene meetings , a terribly abstract series on the proposed materials for the shops his flowcharts on where Koolhaas intends to take the Prada web-site and terrifying details like RFID tags for the purposes of inventory control,point of sales efficency and theft control (Damn!) .
The idea of a high-tech Prada loyalty card is brand perfect , as are the futuristic dressing rooms , kiosks and in-store display panels.
Of course Koolhass wouldn't be Koolhaas without the naughty and unlikely gestures (Prada vomit?), the out-there propositions for ad campaigns or that sustained idee fixe of the "Prada army" . But that facetiousness is totally within the Koolhaas program. After all this is the man who gleefully designed the ...Hermitage Guggenheim AND Guggenheim Las Vegas museums.
Whether meant ironically or in scary earnest the book does lay bare the brutality and the complexity of both Koolhaas' and Prada's ambition. Somebody who knows these things once told us that Prada Sport does not seek to compete with other designer lines, but rather, has its sights set on Nike . And reading P for P Pt 1 has completely persuaded this reader that sentiments such as these are characteristic of Prada culture.
The Prada store as the Disney-world for millionaire semioticians the world over, intellectual perversity as the ultimate luxury proposition, Rem Koolhaas for sale to the culture -at large. These questions and more will riddle you as you go deeper into....PRADAWORLD
But whatever side issue that will swarm in the wake of this book, one things for sure. It sure is rife with some killer one-liners.(E.G "Luxury is Rough." Amen to that!)
Every designer should have it by the bedside just to help them get that competitive spirit cracking . The world's most famous architect as the driest stand up comedian ever. Who would have thought.

Book Description

Chic, sexy, and sophisticated, Femme Fatale pays tribute to a century of feminine glamour. Invoking not only iconic beauties like Jean Harlow, Brigitte Bardot, and Marilyn Monroe but also the looks that defined each decade from the 1900s to the new millennium, celebrity stylist Serge Normant crafts clothes, setting, hair, and makeup to transform today's most beautiful women. He re-creates Julia Roberts as Louise Brooks, and Cindy Crawford as a forties glamour goddess, a savvy paparazzi-stalked nineties superstar, and a twenties ingenue. Elizabeth Hurley frolics as a flower child and vamps as Mata Hari. Isabella Rossellini is a curvaceous fifties pinup and an eighties punk. And Britney Spears exudes all the poise of Grace Kelly.

This lavish exploration of fashion history, imagination, and stylish beauty carries with it Bridget Foley's cultural survey of each decade—from social and political issues to art movements and key style makers. Beauty, fashion, celebrity, and photography mavens will all love Femme Fatale—and so will every woman who has ever fantasized about looking like a star.

Text by Bridget Foley

Photography by Michael Thompson

Customer Reviews:

Chic but not fatal........2003-10-28

This book presents beautiful pictures of famous and enticing modern women: but to call them "femmes fatales" would be to mischaracterize them.

By definition, the term "femmes fatales" was coined to gorgeous women whose actions were detrimental or harmful to their men or partners. Thus, in real life a woman could be gorgeous without being fatal, or vice versa, she could be fatal without being exceptionally gorgeous. Cleopatra was one such woman, who although not extraordinarily beautiful, was able to charm two Roman generals and to lead them to their downfall.

Although hairstyle was an important component of a woman's appearance, it was certainly not the unique feature of a person. Her eyes, smile, demeanor, sleek appearance, and clothing also played important roles. Therefore, to reduce a woman's character to her hairdo, as the hairstylist-author had suggested, was to overly simplify the matter.

The women photographed in the book were certainly "chic," although not necessarily "fatal."

dissapointing.......2003-05-10

Because of the title The Femme Fatale, Famous Beauties Then and Now, I was expecting a sort of photographic history book. I would be very interested in seeing how the image of a Femme Fatale has changed over the years, from the glamourous pencil browed vixens of the 1920's to the much more volupt modern beauties. (Think pulp fiction novel cover vs. Catherine Zeta Jones) I would have liked to read up on how even though what is considered beautiful (and dangerous) has changed, the character of the Femme Fatale predominates our culture, in literature and film.
I really got the wrong book. Instead of what I was expecting, this book features celebrities made over to appear like they would in different time periods, and the photos are high quality, oversized and printed on slick glossy paper. Some of the transformations are very well done (the girl on the front cover is Julia Roberts, believe it or not) So the book is not without merit, but they could have done a lot more.
If I wanted to see pictures of Britney Spears, I'd just read People magazine.

I just HAD to have it!.......2002-10-28

I have been a fetish model for almost two years, and a close photographer friend and myself are kicking off a new project which showcases high end fetish photographs. While my husband was searching for a poetry book in a Barnes and Nobles store, I snuck to the photography section to see if I could be inspired for this new peoject. My eye fell on this book immediately. I looked at no other book! The photographs are simply too beautiful for words, and I was heartbroken by the cover price... Reluctantly, I put it back on the shelf. When I came home however, I searched your site immediately and found a used copy in mint condition .... Obviously, I was nothing less than thrilled!

This book is based on the photography of hair, and showcases original photographs from the 1800's as samples. Serge Normant then re-creates these by using well known models and celebraties of today, dressing them in period clothing, changing their looks dramatically.

If you are a hairdresser, model, or photographer, you MUST own this book!

Great Idea, mediocre execution.......2002-03-08

Much, if not all this material has been published elsewhere, so you may have seen it. However, it has not been presented together organized around the interesting concept that Julia Roberts, Elizabeth Hurley, Susan Sarandon, Britney Spears and a host of beautiful women are paying homage to women of a previous age. (Yes, that Britney Spears).

In an interview with a French magazine, the photographer described himself as awed or intimidated when Susan Sarandon showed up. He only relaxed when she took charge and he just responded to what he saw. The mutual respect shown by the professionals on both sides of the camera is what makes these images good.

This is not just a catalog of beatiful pictures of contemporary icons playing dress up. If it is authentic it makes a convincing statement about the power and stature of these famous modern women and a lot of not so famous all around us.

If you know a young woman who wants to be in the next book like this, show it to her. I have handed it to several young women I've photographed recently. "Oh, my God! Britney Spears is beautiful." "That can't be Claudia Schiffer." "Elizabeth Hurley scares me!" Isabella Rossellini as Betty Page is the show stopper, however.

The photography is as good as it gets, but the material added to hang it all together weakens the book. Some of it is completely contrived and bogus.

Next time let the women and the photographer do their work and let the readers draw the conclusions. Meanwhile a lot of wannabe photographers and young models have some catching up to do.

Thank you, Michael Thompson........2002-02-08

Serge Normant may have been the creator of the styles pictured within, but it's the aritisty of the photographer Michael Thompson that's truly responsible for the incredible images in this book. Thompson is, perhaps, the most talented of current fashion photographers, but he's also the most overlooked by all but those "in the industry." He's classic, and contemporary, and as versatile as Meisel or Demarchelier. He may not be as well known as his contemporaries, but that's because he lives a quiet life in Pennsylvania, and stays out of the limelight.

I'm looking forward to a massive collection of Michael's photographs, a 'Part One' retrospective, but i don't believe it's forthcoming. Doesn't seem to be his style.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Entrepreneur, published by Entrepreneur Media, Inc. on June 1, 2003. The length of the article is 616 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Getting past "No": how do you turn that "no" into a "yes"? We've got some breakthrough tips to get you there. (Sales Success).
Author: Barry Farber
Publication: Entrepreneur (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2003
Publisher: Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
Volume: 31 Issue: 6 Page: 80(2)

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Super skin: how much do you know about the skin on your body? Take this multiple choice quiz and then turn the page to see how you did.(nutrition): An article from: Scholastic Choices

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Super skin: how much do you know about the skin on your body? Take this multiple choice quiz and then turn the page to see how you did.(nutrition): An article from: Scholastic Choices
Althea Zanecosky
Manufacturer: Scholastic, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Scholastic Choices, published by Scholastic, Inc. on October 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1952 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Super skin: how much do you know about the skin on your body? Take this multiple choice quiz and then turn the page to see how you did.(nutrition)
Author: Althea Zanecosky
Publication: Scholastic Choices (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2003
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Page: 20(5)

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Turning a nursing vision into a working reality: positive practice environments is the theme of International Nurses' Day next month. But how do you turn ... article from: Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand

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Turning a nursing vision into a working reality: positive practice environments is the theme of International Nurses' Day next month. But how do you turn ... article from: Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand
Teresa O'Connor
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand, published by Thomson Gale on April 1, 2007. The length of the article is 2825 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Turning a nursing vision into a working reality: positive practice environments is the theme of International Nurses' Day next month. But how do you turn the vision of a positive practice environment into the reality of satisfied nurses and quality care for patients? The director of nursing services at Christchurch Hospital has a few ideas.(PROFILE)
Author: Teresa O'Connor
Publication: Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Page: 12(3)

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How do you turn a lawyer into a judge?
Jim French
Manufacturer: KIRO Midday Radio?]
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Jurisprudence | Perspectives on Law | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000730K6Y

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How Do You Turn It On?

Manufacturer: Fawcett Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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How Do You Turn It On?
Bill KEANE
Manufacturer: Fawcett Gold Medal
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: B000GV2P0G

Kid's Guide to Social Action: How to Solve the Social Problems You Choose and Turn Creative Thinking Into Positive Action (Dream It! Do It!)

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Great for empowering children to make a difference!!
Kids Guide to Social Action
Superb
how kids can practice their idealism

Kid's Guide to Social Action: How to Solve the Social Problems You Choose and Turn Creative Thinking Into Positive Action (Dream It! Do It!)
Barbara A. Lewis
Manufacturer: Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Politics & Government | Reference & Nonfiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0606349219

Customer Reviews:

Great for empowering children to make a difference!!.......2007-09-28

I am a middle school teacher and this book works well to incorporate social action into a curriculum. Book provides templates about how to write proposals, grants, make phone calls, petition... It's a great resource! Great tool for empowering kids to make a difference in the community.

Kids Guide to Social Action.......2005-07-27

Barbara Lewis cares about kids! Her books highlight ways in which students can make a difference in the world. Students are taught to identify problems and seek creative solutions in order to improve their community. "Kids Guide to Social Action," as well as Barbara's other publications, promote character education and service learning by providing authentic examples and educatinal tools for both the teacher and student.

Superb.......2000-07-09

I can't imagine a better way to help young people put their"if only's" into action. Kids can choose from small orlarger time involvements, but this book will help them not WASTE time as they begin helping others in their communities. Many specific ideas and even templates to help the first-time volunteer feel comfortable reaching out, giving, and maybe even changing the world a little.

how kids can practice their idealism.......2000-06-07

This upbeat, engaging book tells young adults --say, 10 and up-- specific ways they can make a difference. Even those vaguely wanting to "do something" may get inspired by the book's stories of caring kids, their ideas, and what skills they developed to get results. My 12-year-old glued herself to the book for several days, then organized a neighborhood campaign to help the homeless in our town. The book helped with ideas for letters, interviews, speeches, surveys, and many resources and contact info. Now I'm reading it!

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