Designer Sues Prada Family for $10M Over Scrapped Rolls-Royce Project
HK01 · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Fashion designer Jonathan Riss has initiated legal action against Prada S.p.A. and three members of the Prada founding family, demanding at least $10 million in compensation after a high-profile collaboration project was unexpectedly terminated . The lawsuit targets Patrizio Bertelli, former Prada chairman and husband of founder's granddaughter Miuccia Prada Bianchi, as well as their son Lorenzo Bertelli, a Prada executive director .
Key Points
- Designer Jonathan Thierry Colin, also known as Jonathan Riss, founded the Jay Ahr brand in 2005 and has previously collaborated with Louis Vuitton, Hermès, and Rolls-Royce .
- Riss met with Patrizio Bertelli in Paris in February 2024 to discuss collaboration, and by April-June 2024, they had developed sample Prada Galleria and Nylon handbags .
- In June 2024, Riss traveled to Prada's Milan headquarters to present the "Prada Strada" concept, which included redesigning Rolls-Royce automobiles, and subsequently met with Lorenzo Bertelli in New York and Hong Kong .
- By April 2025, the collaboration concept had largely taken shape and Riss's lawyers drafted a letter of intent, though no contract was signed; Prada indicated discussions were continuing .
- Lorenzo Bertelli suddenly messaged Riss in February 2026 to suspend the project, after which Prada's lawyers claimed the collaboration was only preliminary discussions .
- Riss purchased three Rolls-Royce vehicles in Hong Kong for modification as part of the project, and is now claiming at least $5 million from Prada S.p.A. and at least $5 million from the three individual defendants .
Why It Matters
The case highlights the risks of high-stakes luxury collaborations proceeding without formal contracts, and could set precedents for how preliminary discussions and implied commitments are treated in the fashion and automotive industries . The involvement of three generations of Prada's founding family as individual defendants also raises questions about personal liability in corporate partnership negotiations.
The case highlights the risks of high-stakes luxury collaborations proceeding without formal contracts, and could set precedents for how preliminary discussions and implied commitments are treated in the fashion and automotive industries . The involvement of three generations of Prada's founding family as individual defendants also raises questions about personal liability in corporate partnership negotiations.