The Italian fashion house is appalled. As fake garments begin to flood into Britain from sweatshops in Asia, its real customers could be turned off by the overpopularity of what they had hoped would be an exclusive label.

The writing was on the wall last year when a gang of robbers nicknamed the Prada Boys by police were jailed for a total of 39 years for stealing up to £2m in cash, jewellery and Rolex watches.

They were caught after the gang leader was spotted when he turned up at court to support a friend. He was given away by his £180 Prada trainers, which had been stolen in one of the raids.

Since then young people have been spotted wearing fake Prada Sport outfits on estates in Pimlico, Dalston and Brixton in London; a football hooligan gang called the Soul Crew have worn them to Cardiff City matches and trading standards officers have begun seizing counterfeit Prada clothes.

Those who wish to preserve Prada’s exclusivity have also raised an eyebrow at one of its latest high-profile customers: Helen Worth, who plays Gail Platt in Coronation Street, has been spotted in the Prada store in Chelsea, west London.

It could have a similar effect as the red jacket worn in the soap by Hayley Cropper, a transsexual character. Dorothy Perkins decided it looked like its red anorak and withdrew it from sale.

Miuccia Prada, who inherited her grandfather’s luggage business and transformed it into a fashion empire, will be horrified by her label’s association with people outside its target market.

The word “chav” describes council-estate youths who wear labels such as Burberry. That fashion house’s nightmare was complete when Danniella Westbrook, a former EastEnders actress and cocaine user, appeared clad from head to toe in its check.

Fake sportswear accounts for a large part of the £9.7 billion lost every year in Britain to counterfeiting.

Prada admitted it was aware counterfeit clothes were being produced in Asia. A spokesman said yesterday: “We are trying to combat the problem. We encourage people not to buy fakes but we can’t stop them.”

Additional reporting: Andrew White

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