On October 17, 2017, Prada will open Prada Rong Zhai, a meticulously restored historic 1918 mansion in central Shanghai. Originally designed for the distinguished family of Yung Tsoong-King*, Rong Zhai is one of Shanghai’s finest Western-style garden villas. In 2011, the Milan-based global fashion brand began an epic revival of the stunning home as an emblem of Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli’s admiration of Chinese aesthetic heritage and a deep commitment to the city of Shanghai. The mansion will serve as a unique site for the company’s diverse activities in China. Prada has extensive experience in rigorous historic preservation projects around the world including the renovation of sections of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the grand 19^TH century shopping arcade in Milan, and Palazzo Ca’ Corner della Regina, an opulent baroque-era palace on the Grand Canal in Venice reconfigured as an art space. The restoration of Rong Zhai combines that experience in historic building, an abiding belief in the value of traditional handcraftsmanship, and a dynamic collaboration between Western architects and Chinese scholars and artisans. The result is a true global hybrid: a dialogue between Milan and Shanghai that stands as a testament to the family that commissioned it, the Chinese architects and artists that built it, and the teams of Chinese and Italian craftsmen that brought it back to its rightful grandeur. The unveiling will be celebrated with an exclusive preview featuring a fashion show of the Prada 2018 Resort collection on October 12, a press conference and an opening cocktail reception on October 14 as well as other activities during Shanghai fashion week. Prada Rong Zhai will be open to the public from October 17 for about one month.



* Yung Tsoong-King (1873–1938) was a famous tycoon, known in his day as the Flour King of China and remembered as a self-made entrepreneur with strong ties to Shanghai and the surrounding area.