The Desert Wears Prada – Prada Marfa, TX

We’ve left New Mexico! (Four months ago, but who’s counting?) Our first destination was Marfa, TX, and I had a particular roadside attraction I wanted to stop by on the way.

On US 90, just north of the town of Valentine, TX exists one of the oddest, contradictory sights.

Yes, that is a Prada storefront, surrounded by desert and cattleland! The storefront, a 2005 art installation by the artists Elmgreen and Dragset, is known as Prada Marfa.

The original concept saw the installation falling into disrepair overtime, to fade back into the natural landscape. Clearly, that hasn’t been the case, as the building is kept maintained and observed by security cameras.

The products within the storefront are actual Prada merchandise, selected from the 2005 fall/winter collection by Miuccia Prada. After the initial installation, the art piece was vandalized, with all items inside stolen. Now, the products have fake bottoms and higher security measures!

I heard about the site a few years back when a friend visited for her college art history thesis. I was struck by the visual duality of the installation – the vast, open Texas landscape contrasts sharply with the immediately recognizable consumerist storefront.

We made it (coming from Carlsbad Caverns) just after sunset, giving us a little bit of light to take some fun pictures.

You take a gnome into a cave, and suddenly he’s demanding all these pictures! 

This is becoming too familiar of a sight! (Here, here, and here!)

I went for a simpler outfit.

When we arrived at the site, another group of tourists (3 guys on a roadtrip from Montreal) were also taking pictures. They had a good laugh at Cory’s outfit, and graciously let us take our few shots before leaving.

Have you ever been to (or even heard of) Prada Marfa? We are making more of an effort to seek out these odd roadside attractions (like our stop at the Pistachio!). Any tips would be great!!

xo,

Lindsay

A few more photos:

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