IDENTIFY AND AUTHENTICATE PRADA SPORT
Prada Serial Codes, Authenticity & Identification
Written in collaboration with 300700.store
Prada sport’s first collection was released in Spring/Summer of 1999 having been first seen on the runway in June of 1998. The first release consisted of 200 pieces, showcasing a range of highly technical pieces that came to define the brand. This article will explain how you can find the year and season of your Prada Sport pieces using Prada serial numbers. We also include useful information at the end of the article to help authenticate Prada sport and spot fakes. Prada themselves have a useful Prada Archive resource showcasing images from the runway which can be found here. If you have any more questions about Prada Sport that aren't covered here please contact us on Instagram here.
INNER WASH TAGS
When it comes to Prada Sport, there are several methods that can be used to accurately identify and authenticate a piece. The best way to identify what era a piece comes from is by looking at the inner wash-tags. There are 3 separate tag styles that are each linked to a different era in Prada Sport’s history. These can be divided into 3 periods: 1999-2001, 2001-2004, 2005+. It is important to note that Prada only began printing the production year on the tags from 2005 onwards so for pieces pre-2005, some accurate estimation is needed.
PRE-2001
Pieces from pre-2001 (including runway pieces) will include this much thinner wash-tag on the interior of the garment, with limited production details. If a piece has this style tag it is always worth checking runway photos as it may have been featured on there. Some guess work is needed here to differentiate between 1999, 2000 and some early 2001 pieces, runway photos can also help with this.
Some pieces from pre-2001 may feature this small neck tag (above), however due to weak stitching this is prone to falling off.
2001-2004
Here is an example of the longer tag style from the 2001-2004 era of Prada Sport. They feature more spaced-out production details and may come in a white or black colour. It is important to note that not all Prada pieces are manufactured in Italy. They had many production factories across Europe in the early 2000s so it is not unusual to see pieces made in other European countries, the tag style remains the same though. The frustrating thing about this era is there is no year on the tags and no runways to reference so it is difficult to pinpoint an exact season for pieces from this era.
2005-ONWARDS
This is an example of what tags from 2005 onwards usually look like. They follow a similar long tag style to pre-2005 pieces however they will usually feature an article number and production code in the top right corner. This is a piece from 2006, as can be seen from the ‘2006’ in the middle of the production number in the top right corner. The best way to identify the season for this era is to look at the piece itself, for example, this is a lightweight Gore-Tex jacket so it is most likely S/S.
AUTHENTICATE PRADA WITH SVG PRODUCTION TAGS
All Prada Sport pieces from the very start include plastic production and size tags that are usually stitched on the inside of the garments. These do not give any indication of the season or year however, they are one of the most useful tools for authenticating pieces. All pieces should feature Prada’s signature ‘zig-zag’ stitching around the edges of these tags – pieces with straight stitching are usually fake. Size tags are usually in numbers to fit the Italian/European sizing however there are pieces made for the American market with letter sizing.
It is also important to note the font of any Prada branding on pieces. There should not be a direct connection on the leg of the ‘R’, there should always be a small notch. Furthermore, to match the official ‘Prada’ font, the ‘A’s should always have a small sharp extension at the top. All branding, whether it be on the chest, cuff, hem or the interior tags, should follow this font style.
Prada Sport is widely counterfeited. To be sure on the authenticity of any Prada Sport item, we would recommend using a service like LegitGrails who specialise in Prada Sport authentication.
WHERE TO BUY AUTHENTIC PRADA SPORT?
Download Truss Archive here to search the most iconic Prada Sport from the world's leading resale stores, all in one place.