Lace, satin, and silk designs presented on velvet-lined trays—an ode to corset-maker Ada Masotti—are catching wandering eyes on Geary Street in San Francisco this month. The presentation of lingerie, inside La Perla's new Union Square boutique references Masotti, the brand creator, who hand-delivered her wares on such trays to Italian customers in the 1950s. Entrepreneur Silvio Scaglia enlisted the help of renowned architect Roberto Baciocchi to create the store interiors, one that reflects the new look of the Italian house’s shops in London and Milan. With an emphasis on classical Italian architecture and a return to the brand’s bespoke roots, the Bay Area shop includes references to the work of Carlo Scarpa from the Castelvecchio Museum in Verona with its soft, dusty-colored walls dressed in painted fabric. The ultra-femme palette is also present in the store’s Roman arches inside each window (lined in pink onyx), and the Portuguese marble slabs laid in a hexagonal mosaic on floors. The fitting rooms even contain a witty reference to the sinfully beautiful garments sold inside the shop. Each has metal grates reminiscent of confessionals in ancient cathedrals. Modern day fans of the house including Naomi Campbell would likely snicker at such details. Campbell closed La Perla’s first ever atelier show held in Paris during the haute couture last month.

By Jennifer McCullum

Pictured: The new La Perla boutique on Geary Street in San Francisco.
Photo by: Drew Altizer

Email This To A Friend