Hong Kong designer sues Prada over Rolls-Royce venture
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong-based Belgian designer Jonathan Riss is suing Prada in Hong Kong’s High Court for at least US$5 million, alleging the fashion group abandoned a partnership to redesign a series of Rolls-Royce cars for exhibitions and rallies worldwide . The lawsuit says Prada backed away from written and verbal agreements connected to the project, later called “Prada Strada”, after encouraging Riss to commit to what was presented as a long-term strategic initiative .
Key Points
- The writ was filed on Thursday in the High Court and names Prada, Patrizio Bertelli, Miuccia Prada and Lorenzo Bertelli as defendants .
- Riss, whose real name is Jonathan Thierry Colin, is a Belgian designer based in Hong Kong and founder of luxury label Jay Ahr .
- Ahrsenal Limited, described as the automotive arm of Jay Ahr, joined the case as second plaintiff from its Wong Chuk Hang base .
- Lawyers said Patrizio Bertelli first engaged Riss in February 2024 to transform Prada’s Galleria and Nylon bags before the concept expanded .
- The planned “Prada Strada” initiative involved at least 10 redesigned Rolls-Royce Corniche cars for immersive marketing and retail events worldwide .
Why It Matters
The case links luxury fashion branding, automotive design and high-end experiential marketing, while exposing how informal and formal cross-border creative partnerships can end in costly legal disputes . Prada’s response, and any court examination of the alleged written and verbal agreements, could shape how similar collaborations are documented and managed .