>> Prada Could Become Even More of a Family Affair —Prada CEO Patrizio Bertelli wants you to know that he and wife Miuccia Prada are both in good “physical and psychological shape,” but their 19 and 20-year-old sons Giulio and Lorenzo, who Miuccia doesn't like to talk about by name, could be joining the company at some point. “But if they do, they will start out as warehouse keepers.”  He also mentioned that upgrading Prada's website is a major priority: "Ideally, I’d like to sell clothes online that aren’t in stores yet and make them look catchy, not like a catalog." [WWD]

>> The Spring 2010 Prada show is starting shortly, and already details are rolling in. The set evokes black-and-white film stills, and the show is apparently all about the beach, with silk palm tree and beach scene-printed mini shorts and jackets, clear jeweled jelly shoes and dresses, and low side ponytails and glossy red lips.

Update 1: A first look from the buyer's show. [IGriese Twitter]

Update 2: A rumor is going around that the press show is starting an hour late because Anna Wintour wanted to introduce Roger Federer, who she brought to Prada, to Giorgio Armani beforehand. [Christina Binkley Twitter]

Update 3: More details: "Shorn off clothes . . . volume sillhouettes, florals." [Christina Binkley Twitter]

Update 4: Lindsay Wixson walked (she opened), and apparently Sasha Pivovarova and Ymre Stiekema didn't. [TFS, TFS, TFS]

Update 5: Fabrics were neoprene, and crystals hung from the heels, the plastic bags, and the finale dresses. [Joe Zee Twitter, Joe Zee Twitter]

>> Bold as she is in the designing arena, Miuccia Prada is less than forthcoming in other areas — she won't speak her sons' names on the record, despite the fact that she'll talk about their political leanings, and she won't publicly admit to admiring any designers — “I’ve said before but not now" — or well-dressed celebrities.  W grills Miuccia about all this and more — including a potentially incriminating photo of her husband and Prada CEO Patrizio Bertelli which has set off gossip — in their September 2009 issue.

She's not letting the economic crisis affect her.

“The only difference that I noticed is that you have to be more and more yourself. What is really selling is what is really Prada. You can’t do some generic bullsh*t.”

Same goes for those pictures of her husband, who she calls "Bertelli," looking cozy in the subway with a blond woman. 

“Gossip — gossip is everywhere, so what do you do? Of course, I pay attention, but after, what do you do? Nothing.”

She likes Marc Jacobs »

>> CNN Asia sat down with Miuccia Prada in Seoul recently for her first TV interview in three years, putting together almost 25 minutes worth of footage.  They got the shy designer to talk about everything from hating "the cliche of fashion designers" to the stress of the job to her view on the acquisitions of Jil Sander, Alaia, and Helmut Lang — but unfortunately missed out on asking her about the lack of diversity on the runways.

In the first clip, Prada talks about her design philosophy:

Basically I think that sometimes [my designs] look strange and not perfect because I don't like things that are obvious, and so I always try to introduce something that is wrong, something that is different. Just beauty by itself is too easy.

It's very much about what I like, but also [about] analyzing what's trendy and why people like something and trying to find an ironic way to look at it from outside. For instance, when I did the lace [for Fall 2008], I asked why women always like lace.  [I] try to analyze the reason this is something [women] like at the moment [and] try to understand why things like pink roses, lace, animalia . . . women can't give up.

The videos! »

>> The months-in-the-making 60 Minutes profile of Anna Wintour finally aired last night, and besides the tired Devil Wears Prada and unauthorized biography references, a snarky Morley Safer provided a candid look at "Darth Vader in a frock" — except for the instances when she purposely evaded his question.  He even asked her if she thinks of herself as a b*tch: "I hope I'm not . . . I try not to be, but I like people who represent the best of what they do and if that turns you into a perfectionist than maybe I am."

She laughs when asked if it's true that Vogue staffers are not allowed to speak to her on the elevator:

Oh yeah, I heard that, you're not allowed to get in the elevator with me. That's a complete exaggeration.  I guess in response I can only say that I've have so many people here that have worked with me fifteen, twenty years, and if I'm such a b*tch they must really be a glutton for punishment because they're still here.

She credits part of her success to her failures elsewhere: "I wasn't academically successful and maybe I've spent a lot of my career trying to make up for that."  But she's still the Anna whose daily hair and makeup bill, plus a rumored $200,000 annual clothing allowance, is all picked up by Conde Nast — and her view of "reasonable" clothing prices reflects that.  She visits Alexander Wang's showroom for a runthrough, and as a silver sequined minidress passes by, she asks Alexander how much it is. "This one retails for $1,200." Her reply?  With a little smile: "It's very reasonable."

But designers can irritate her: "If you see a collection that you feel the designer has been lazy or is taking inspiration from other designers, it doesn't as much as bore me as anger me."

Even Andre Leon Talley, one of those figures who have been at Vogue for years, feels the Wintour chill:

It's not like a tea party here, we work very hard.  Let's say that Anna can be intimidating, I think that's her armor, to intimidate, to give people a sense that she's in charge. She is not a person who's going to show you her emotions ever. She's like a doctor.  When she's looking at your work, it's like a medical analysis.  Some of us can't cope with that . . . we need to be loved.

But it's something to get used to — if Anna has any say, she'll be sticking around a while longer. "To me, this is a very interesting time to be in this position, and I think it would be, in a way, irresponsible not to put my best foot forward and lead us into a different time." Morley prods, asking her if when the time comes, she'll go quietly? She smiles. "Certainly, very quietly."

The full segment, plus outtakes! »

>> ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —While a horse of Steven Klein's caused Madonna injury over the weekend, another Steven — Steven Meisel — worked with a horse last week for one setting of the "marathon" four day Prada Fall 2009 campaign shoot at Pier 59 Studios in New York.  No confirmation on which models were involved, but a number of unconfirmed sources are indicating four girls — Kendra Spears, Anna De Rijk, Katlin Aas, and Miuccia Prada's current favorite, Ymre Stiekema. [Chic Report, TFS, TFS, TFS]