Prada Turns Shanghai Rong Zhai Into a Cinematic Bazaar

Turning its storied mansion of Rong Zhai into an immersive stage and weekend market, Prada will be hosting the second iteration of “Prada Galleria Invites,” a celebration of its iconic Galleria bag and its latest campaign created by the breakthrough director Yorgos Lanthimos.

Running from Friday to Sunday, the brand’s four story Rong Zhai, a restored historical mansion blending Art Deco and Chinese motifs in downtown Shanghai, will be transformed into a cinematic villa, where visitors can sign up for a tour that unveils the building’s many encounters with the film world.

For example, Rong Zhai was used as a filming location for Chinese director Cheng Er’s 2023 spy thriller “Hidden Blade,” which stared the legendary actor Tony Leung and C-pop idol Wang Yibo. Under the creative direction of Wang Kar-wai, Mi Shang, Prada’s first stand-alone dining space that lives on the first floor of Rong Zhai, features interiors that echo an iconic dining scene from “In the Mood for Love.”

As a part of the exhibition program, Prada commissioned Shanghai Theatre Academy’s noted professor Shi Chuan to pen an article that further delve into Rong Zhai’s ties to the world of film — a thoughtful offering for the local cinephiles.

At Mi Shang, guests can enjoy seasonal cuisine and signature cocktails, along with a limited-edition Galleria-inspired menu crafted by head chef Riccardo La Perna, available through Oct. 8.

As for Rong Zhai’s sprawling garden, it will be transformed into an open-air market fair with a curated selection of vinyl records, books, games, floral bouquets and more.

The multisensory experience will also feature open-air screenings at night, titles include Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Lobster,” Chen Kaige’s “Farewell My Concubine” and Jan Němec’s “Diamonds of the Night.”

As one of Prada’s bestsellers, the Prada Galleria bag is crafted via an intricate hot-pressing process, while raw edges are smoothed and hand-painted to match. During the bazaar, Italian craftsmen will be on site to offer live demonstration of the production process, facilitate Galleria personalization orders and offer leather care services.

The bazaar, open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, is already available for booking on the brand’s WeChat Mini Program. The 100 renminbi, or $14, ticket doubles as a redeemable voucher for goods at the open-air market.

The program runs daily from 5 to 10 p.m., with outdoors screenings starting at 7 p.m. During the event, the bistro and caffè section at Mi Shang Prada Rong Zhai will welcome participants exclusively from 3 to 10 p.m.

The latest iteration of Prada’s Galleria campaign stars Oscar-nominated actress Scarlett Johansson, a regular of Prada Galleria campaigns, and was directed by Lanthimos, marking the first time the pair work together on a project.

Titled “Ritual Identities,” the 2025 short movie leans on the surreal and symbolism-rich oeuvre of Lanthimos who captures the actress impersonating three different characters within archetypal settings of contemporary life.

The video campaign — which is flanked by imagery captured by Lanthimos, also an accomplished photographer — marks the first time the Greek director, producer and screenwriter collaborates with Prada.

“Prada Galleria Invites” was first launched last year at Rong Zhai in a smilar format. In 2023, Rong Zhai launched its first weekend market that ran in parallel with the exhibition “Human Brains: Preserving the Brain — Forum on Neurodegenerative Diseases.”

Guests were able to do their weekend grocery run at Prada Rong Zhai and browse a selection of vinyl, books and ceramics from Prada’s chosen vendors. Seasonal flowers and potted plants, organic granola, fruits and vegetables, all wrapped in Prada’s green and white wrapping paper and logos, quickly sold out.

Prada’s two-day event garnered more than 870,000 mentions on Xiaohongshu, the popular social commerce platform.