Prada Sued After Champagne Permanently Stains Woman's Silk Skirt

Prada was successfully taken to court after Melbourne's Catherine Whitty's £1000 silk skirt was stained with bubbly at her champagne birthday celebration

Prada was successfully taken to court after Melbourne's Catherine Whitty's £1000 silk skirt was stained with bubbly at her champagne birthday celebration.

The pale pink A-line silk skirt, which Whitty wore once for her 40th birthday, was permanently stained after a guest spilled champagne on the Italian creation, the Herald Sun reports.

Whitty took the Italian fashion house to court, arguing that sales staff at Prada's flagship store on Melbourne's Collins St. knew she was buying the piece for a champagne party and should have warned her the garment was unsuitable for such an occasion.

After the accident occured, Whitty was told by her dry cleaner that the stains couldn't be removed and that any liquid - including rain or water splashes - would damage the delicate garment.

However, the washing instructions on the skirt's label did say it could be dry-cleaned professionally.

Whitty was given a full refund for the skirt ($1600, or approximately £1000), which she said she purchased because it was a 'timeless piece' fit for 'common usage' and more than one wear.

Prada's retail operations manager, Albin Cheng, told the tribunal: 'This was not caused by us.'

He also revealed that Prada devotee Whitty had purchased another silk item from Prada four months after the champagne-stain incident.

Whitty told the the tribunal she has since bought other silk items from the shop, and that she is 'usually a very happy customer.'

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