NEW YORK — La Perla USA has opened its first store in Las Vegas at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.
First-year sales are projected at $2 million, said a spokeswoman. More than $850,000 was spent to create the 1,400-square-foot boutique, which was designed by Matteo Fregonese, a partner in the architectural firm Permasteelisa, which has offices in Italy and in Enfield, Conn.
This is the second concept store developed as a testing ground to garner a younger generation of La Perla customers in the 20- to 30-year-old age range who want risqué-looking bras and panties, corsets and bustiers, and sleepwear items. The shops reflect the edgy look of the La Perla Black Label collection of lingerie, which was created in April 2003.
The Las Vegas shop, which opened Aug. 6, is rendered in trappings similar to those of the first concept store, which opened in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District in February 2004 and generated close to $800,000 in sales in its first full year. The concept shops have a modern, club-like ambience. The stores have matte black ceilings and pink-red ultrasuede walls, curved sofas, Baroque Italian crystal chandeliers, oversized mirrors and flat-screen TVs that display footage of the La Perla ready-to-wear show in Milan.
The new unit at Caesars has one big draw: a VIP lounge on the second level with a wet bar and a “private showing room” for high rollers on the gambling circuit, said the spokeswoman.
Best-selling items at the Las Vegas shop from the Black Label fall-winter line are a cleavage-enhancing bra of leavers lace from the Sky Doll group, retailing for $228, and a coordinating thong for $118, said the spokeswoman. The shop also sells the company’s other brands and products, including La Perla and Marvel lingerie, La Perla Mare swimwear, Grigio Perla men’s wear, La Perla Prêt-à-Porter and La Perla fragrances.
Bologna, Italy-based Gruppo La Perla, which generates an annual volume of about $250 million, maintains 63 freestanding stores worldwide and has boutiques in Boston, Chicago, Miami, Beverly Hills and South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif., as well as three units in Manhattan.