Anyway, I’ve been down the rabbit hole of Prada belts recently. eBay, Farfetch, Poshmark… you name it, I’ve been browsing. And the sheer *range* is wild. You get the classic buckle ones, the ones with the iconic triangle logo (which, let’s be honest, is half the reason anyone buys Prada in the first place – gotta flex, right?), and then… well, then you get into the *really* interesting stuff.
Like, I saw one described as “hammered leather.” Hammered leather! What does that even *mean*? Is it like, angry leather? Or maybe it’s just leather that’s been, y’know, gently persuaded with a hammer? I’m picturing Giuseppe again, meticulously whacking a piece of calfskin while contemplating the meaning of life… or maybe just what he’s having for lunch.
And the prices! Oh. My. God. We’re talking serious investment pieces. Like, “skip rent this month” investment pieces. Which, I mean, I’m not *advocating* that, but, you know… a Prada belt is a Prada belt. (Don’t tell my landlord I said that.)
I saw some listings that mentioned “handmade,” but tbh, it’s a bit of a gray area. I mean, is *any* luxury item truly “handmade” anymore? Or is it more like “assembled by hand by a highly trained artisan in a factory that’s probably not *that* different from any other factory”? I’m leaning towards the latter, sadly. It’s probably more “hand-finished” than fully handmade. Like, maybe Giuseppe (or his modern equivalent) adds the final buckle with a flourish.
The thing is, the allure of a Prada belt – especially one that *hints* at being handmade – is the feeling of exclusivity. It’s the idea that you’re wearing something special, something that took time and effort (even if that time and effort was spent in a slightly-less-than-romantic industrial setting). It’s the knowledge that you’re part of a select club of people who are willing to spend a small fortune on a strip of leather.