Prada and Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore: Eyes Wide Open

In 2013, Prada Eyewear and Italian publisher Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore challenged writers around the world to craft an essay based on the following prompt: “What are the realities that our eyes give back to us? And how are these realities filtered through lenses?” The challenge saw over 1,300 submissions from 30 countries; each identifying a unique perspective on the way that we see the world through personal lenses. Five winning entries, chosen by an international publishing panel, were showcased alongside looks from Prada Eyewear’s collection, and the collaboration took the name Prada Journal – Views On the World. This year, Prada and Feltrinelli Editore have decided to do it again.
 
The 2014 edition will move away from quotidian life, and shift focus toward the idea of transformation, asking, “What are the signs of a changing world? And what situations can we envision?”
 
Last year’s submissions were mainly manuscripts and personal essays, but this iteration will welcome all creative manifestations of the written word. The boundaries are much wider, and the talent pool will likely be as well.
 
Prada’s intent in sponsoring literary creativity is supposedly an offshoot of their dedication to innovation in all spheres of creativity. A partnership between one of Italy’s greatest fashion houses and one of its greatest publishing houses seems natural though, and publication in its second journal will carry a lot of clout for the aspiring writers that are showcased.
 
We don’t know who the panelists will be, or how many submissions they will select this year, but we do know that the entry period is now open (it closes June 11th), and that Prada and Feltrinelli are searching for pieces that best espouse their fostering of creative spirit and the themes of a forward-looking worldview.