Valentine, Texas: Prada Store

A fake luxury boutique store, set in the middle of a desert, and sealed so that no one can ever enter. It's art.

Prada Store

It appears as though they've attempted to cover up the graffiti. They forgot some in the back, or maybe some kids recently did it. Regardless or not if this should be considered "art," it's interesting enough and worth a stop!

[Katie, 10/13/2012]

Prada Store

The Prada Store, which stands in an otherwise empty basin of the Chihuahuan Desert (and is actually an art project), has recently suffered some serious abuse. Lightning knocked out its security cameras. Vandals sprayed it with graffiti. Bullet holes scar its display window (the glass was replaced years ago with bullet-proof laminated plastic). Someone ran over its dedication marker.

Its local curators want to repair the damage, but money is tight and they reportedly may just let the Prada Store crumble unless they can get some regional support. A good first step would be to stop trying to destroy it....

[RoadsideAmerica.com Team, 03/29/2011]

Marfa Prada Store

Established on October 1, 2005, Art Production Fund and Ballroom Marfa present Prada Marfa, "a site specific, permanent land art project" by artists Elmgreen and Dragset. The wonderful architects are Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello; Joerg Boettger. The Prada store was constructed by The Maxwell Company.For more info... go see it yourself! Sure you might have better things to do but hey this is a once-in-a-lifetime place to visit, I suggest you get off your lazy butt, take your eyes off the computer and come down to little Valentine, Texas right now! You heard me -- NOW! Go, go, go!

[Nicole Anderson, 04/09/2010]

Prada Window Display

The Prada Marfa is some kind of a permanent art work. There's a plaque on the right side of the building that explains why they put it there.

In a project description on www.pradamarfa.com: "The work will be located on the outskirts of Valentine, Texas near Marfa on desolate ranching land with no other visible trace of civilization. As one drives toward the artwork it will appear to be a large minimalist sculpture, as one gets closer it will look like a luxury boutique where a display of Fall 2005 high-heel Prada shoes and bags will be seen through the store front windows. Yet, one cannot open the door, it is a sealed time capsule and will never function as a place of commerce."

I don't know if this would qualify as a roadside wonder or not, but I think it is certainly unique. I love the idea of putting a very upscale boutique display in the middle of the desert, next to a ghost town and let it sit there to see what will happen. I just hope there won't be any vandalism...

[Genevieve, 01/30/2007]

Prada Store

While driving in west Texas a friend and I passed a building with the sign "Prada." I thought it said Pravda, the Russian newspaper, and we had to go back and look at this store in the middle of nowhere. My friend explained to me that Prada was a high class shoe and handbag company. But this building was no store. It was a WORK OF ART! Art is something unique and special and moves your heart or touches your spirit. This is not art. It is humor and it is very funny. Someone scrawled on the plaque explaining the exhibit. "This is not art. This does not belong in west Texas!"

In the store windows, some shoes and handbags are displayed.

Next time I go back I am going to play a joke on the artist. I will have a large banner that I will hang across the top of the building. It will read "Grand Opening Valentine's Day 2025."

[Brian Mcdermott, 02/13/2006]