“The company received expressions of interest from different private-equity funds,” Prada spokesman Andrea Gaudenzi said in an interview. However, he also added that the fashion house has no interest in selling a stake. This official statement follows a report in Milano Finanza (an Italian financial daily) that said Prada was searching for an outside investor to take up to a 40% stake.

Like many family-owned fashion companies, it seems as though Prada’s finances have come under strain amid the worldwide downturn in luxury-goods sales. Thus, it comes as no surprise that investment funds could be using it as an opportunity to secure a foothold in the fashion business.

According to some reports, designer Muccia Prada and her husband, Chief Executive Patrizio Bertelli (who together own 95% of the company), have recently entered talks with Italian banks to extend payment on debt that is said to be weighing down the family holding company – Prada BV.

For years, Prada was reportedly been poised to raise funds through a listing on the Milan stock exchange, but the financial crisis has seemingly forced it to shelve those plans. Prada did open itself to outside investors in 2006. Back then, it sold a 5% stake to Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo SpA.