La Perla (Q4128)
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Italian company
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | La Perla |
Italian company |
Statements
1986
perfume bottle designer
No destination is remote or exotic enough to not be turned sooner or later into a stage for a Fashion Week. In the quest for the most spectacular, mind-blowing location, La Perla set the bar quite high, presenting its Spring collection in Macao as part of Sands Macao Fashion Week, with a lavish fashion show–cum–dinner at the Venetian Macao hotel, which is the Venetian Las Vegas’s twin. Definitely not places for minimalists.Beyond being a replica of a clichéd Venice so exact as to feel almost eerie (including a massive shopping mall with canals, real-size gondolas, and Chinese gondoliers; a painted sky with moving clouds; a central ceiling so huge as to make the Vatican’s St. Peter’s dome pale in comparison; and a majestic copy of a 16th-century painting by Paolo Veronese,The Apotheosis of Venice,whose original can be visited in Venice’s Palazzo Ducale), the Venetian Macao is the largest casino in the world. Crowded nonstop like the busiest airport hub, it is obvious proof of the Chinese obsession with gambling.Julia Haart, La Perla’s creative director, isn’t afraid to take risks; she’s clearly determined to win her hand at cards. “Women can be hard and immutable as rocks,” she stated at the collection’s preview, dressed in a jumpsuit with a plunging neckline and stratospheric platform heels. “Yet in every stone there are veins that reveal a fluidity, sensuality, a sense of movement,” she explained. “I wanted to bring about the contrast between toughness and tenderness, which for me is the essence of femininity.”The fashion show was held in the hotel’s Grand Colonnade salon while a gala dinner was served, attended by such Chinese movie stars as Fan Bingbing and Hu Bing. Natasha Poly opened thedéfiléin a flamboyant turquoise number that was abundantly see-through; it set the tone for a collection that referenced not so much La Perla’s boudoir-tinged, sophisticated heritage as the hyper-sexy, body-con attitude that Haart favors. Yet the designer was at her best when she let her sensuous glamour do the talking, as in a series of red carpet–worthy, long, liquid dresses in silk crepe with beautifully handcrafted lace inlays. A black version was tightly draped with a sinuous lace detail; elsewhere, a one-shoulder black column with a thigh-high slit looked spectacular yet refined. A powder blue long dress exquisitely embroidered with Chantilly lace had a fluid, graceful movement, and a lingerie-inspired blush tunic was delicate in its feminine flair.
Haart tried her hand at tailoring with a series of tuxedos, in which her fitted yet supple blazers with a built-in bra were paired with slim cigarette pants. “I’m obsessed with comfort,” she declared. Who would’ve thought?
20 October 2017
For her second season as creative director of La Perla, Julia Haart envisaged the artistic interpretation of British gardens across six chambers of a British manor. So, expressionistic flora, by function of room. “It’s really this concept of nature redefined by people,” said Haart. “And I chose English gardens because they are more of a riot compared to, say, manicured French gardens. That’s what I am thinking about: I don’t like people telling me what to do or where to go. I want to wear what I want, when I want, how I want. It’s all about the freedom.”That she used the word “riot” was telling: Haart’s La Perla is confident, often over-the-top, consciously indecorous and all the more noteworthy for it. She is presumably catering to those women that might tune into the Victoria’s Secret show (as it happens, a number of her Fall cast are also Angels), but would never actuallybuyVictoria’s Secret—all La Perla, all the way. Also notable, Haart says, “I am creating this specialized world where ready-to-wear and lingerie meld together—our clothes come in dress sizes, but also cup sizes.”Naomi Campbell, bathed under ultraviolet ambient light, opened the show in a navy stretch silk slip dress patched with black lace parts, and a floral macramé-embroidered tweed overcoat. She was in the “Study”—the tweed, followed by tailored wool pieces, vaguely connoted academic practice. That set the tone for a sprawling lineup, which, as one behaves in one’s own abode, appeared in varying states of dress and undress. Haart’s “Terrace” section was her best, in which hothouse florals and leaves were worked onto little negligees and rompers. Model Lineisy Montero’s outfit—a fitted micro slip dress with a built-in bra and a panoply of Crayola-bright blooms—was the collection’s top look. (Her spider jewel-embellished mules were also cute, in a costume-y way). Haart’s exploration would conclude in the “Foyer,” with Kendall Jenner shutting down the installation in a metallic gold lace gown, replete with elaborate embroidery.If Haart’s focus veered away from her core inspiration, it was forgivable in that she offereda lotto take in. And even though differing tastes will prefer different parts of this collection, the unifier among them—cleverly realized by the designer—is a penchant for that bold-willed freedom mentioned above.
9 February 2017
Just last month, shoe designer Julia Haart was appointed creative director ofLa Perla, the luxury Italian brand synonymous with exquisitely made lingerie. Haart, a petite, curvy, ebullient brunette of Russian descent is obsessed with the idea of comfort as much as she loves confident sex appeal. "Women do not have to suffer for beauty," she said during her first full ready-to-wear presentation, which included accessories, beachwear, resortwear, nightwear, and, of course, lingerie. Certainly, Haart has kept herself busy.In 1954, Ada Masotti, a skilled corsetière, founded the house in Bologna, a wealthy city with an appetite for life in typical Italian fashion: excellent food, rich culture, and beautiful women, who at the time were all faithful to Masotti's designs. Her success relied on a perfect blend of fine craftsmanship, luxe fabrics and details, made-to-measure fit and comfort, and a stylish flair. These principles were very much on Haart's mind when she approached her first collection.The idea of built-in elements to give structure and support, enhancing the body's shape without being constrictive, was at the core of the lineup. She made good use of the lingerie expertise from the brand's glorious past, blending in modern technology to design poplin shirts and jackets with unwired bras, which can be worn without any other undergarment. "We added just a drop of stretch to fabrics to achieve maximum flexibility," enthused Haart, pointing out a pair of body-hugging silk wool leggings. Pajama dressing is a no-brainer for a lingerie brand and continues to be very of the moment as evidenced in the recent runway offerings. Here, the masculine loose shape was translated into hyper-feminine jackets in double silk pared back to tailored shorts and brassières. Graphic and colorful prints were a high point as well, with floral motifs that at close inspection revealed a trompe-l'oeil effect composed of digitally morphed maps of fjords nestled among bouquets.
24 September 2016
In a season when nudity is one of the big trends on the runways, it's ironic that Alessandro Dell'Acqua would play the modesty card at La Perla. Replacing the typically racier fare at today's show were tent dresses, peasant blouses, and flaring pants in a seventies-ish vein. "Easy, light, and fresh" were the words bandied about backstage. Not that there weren't lingerie details, but instead of being the main event, black lace was used as a layering piece over an emerald green dress. Broderie anglaise at the bottom of a trapeze coat looked positively sweet; the same goes for a ribbon lace vest and skirt. Other embellishments, like the gold sequins of a loose tank or the jewel-encrusted bodices of one-shoulder evening numbers, had more of a disco vibe. The problem was, nothing really separated this seventies revival from the countless others that have come before. You'd like to see La Perla capitalize on the technical fabrics and innovations of its lingerie business and apply them to a little black dress, say, or a pair of fitted pants—that would be more up-to-date.
23 September 2008
It's been a slow process, but La Perla has weaned itself from the overt sort of sexiness that had been the brand's most marked characteristic. Yes, the lingerie details were still there today—in silk georgette dresses edged with Chantilly lace, or on blouses with the sort of sheer neckline that inevitably draws the eye to the décolleté. But the too-obvious touches of recent seasons, like superfluous bras and whaleboning worn on the outside of clothes, were happily absent. This brought up a new issue, though: What, exactly, should the focus of the brand's ready-to-wear business be? For Fall, the buzzwords backstage were the "nouvelle vague" and the "nonchalant elegance" of one of its heroines, Jeanne Moreau. That translated into a smartly cut bracelet-sleeve coat trimmed at the hem with fox and worn with narrow flared pants, as well as a metallic copper strapless cocktail dress. Both of those fared better than the cheetah-print numbers or the pleated floor-length gowns in a sheer chiffon that awkwardly exposed under-slips ending above the knee. On the evidence of this show, La Perla's identity is still a work in progress.
18 February 2008
We all know La Perla is a lingerie company. So why does Alessandro Dell'Acqua, who quietly designs the label's ready-to-wear collection, feel the need to constantly remind us of the fact?Two looks, in particular, from the Spring show stand out for their gimmickry. The first was an otherwise innocuously pretty trapeze dress in lavender-and-gray chiffon, topped by a strapless nude-mesh bra. The second was a feather-bustier cocktail dress trussed up with exposed whaleboning in a snakeskin print. But those weren't the only pieces that were overthought: High-tech holographic fabrics were decorated with incongruous baroque soutache embroideries, while feathers edged not only the bustlines of evening numbers but also the hems of cropped jackets. As for the swimsuits, with all their superfluous straps, they were just fetish-y.When Dell'Acqua exercised a bit of restraint, things looked up. A navy silk mikado dress that tented to the knees and was topped by an unadorned short-sleeve jacket was ladylike and sophisticated. A slouchy white pullover sweater added an offhand, cool element to an allover-feathered skirt. More ease, less tease, please.
24 September 2007
Eveningwear was a natural brand extension for the Italian lingerie maker La Perla. But its designer, Alessandro Dell¿Acqua—who is maintaining a very low profile at the label, not even coming out for the requisite post-show bow—is beginning to turn the line into a believable all-around resource. To wit, he sent out a sexy day suit and fur coats (in something the company has been calling ¿kidassian¿) that looked like they might have been plucked from the closet of Kate Moss.If anything, it was the gowns that came out looking a little complicated. That was certainly the case with the lace bustier that peeked from beneath fans and folds of black crepe, not to mention a long number with raw-edged panels overlaid atop one another to create an interplay of sheer and opaque. (Some of the separates were likewise tricked out with crystals, feathers, and other potentially clunky bells and whistles.) But a cocktail-length goddess dress, draped from the shoulder to expose the underworkings of a push-up bra, displayed a lighter hand and looked like a lot more fun. Ditto a liquid-copper strapless style with a panel of black lace inset in the back.As for that standout skirtsuit, it came in unadorned alpaca, this season¿s must-have luxe fabric. More of this sort of thing, and people will want to start paying the collection closer attention.
19 February 2007
Some in the States might be surprised to learn that La Perla has a ready-to-wear collection, but judging by the Italian TV personalities in the front row today, the brand's reach in its home country now extends beyond the lingerie drawer. That doesn't mean that the collection ignored its roots. On the contrary, it took a handful of spring trends—eyelet, pale neutrals, miniature florals—and sexed them up with touches of lace and generous helpings of bare skin.Things began innocently enough. Co-opting Catherine Deneuve inBelle de Jouras a muse, the show started off with a demure white dress cinched by a black bow—a recurring motif, it would become apparent—and a belted trench with a hem that was lasercut into a floral pattern. The collection quickly moved into vixenish territory, however, with above-the-knee cocktail numbers with bra-cup bodices and (slightly less suggestive) asymmetric, one-shoulder styles. The de rigueur swimsuits were tastefully done in bandeau tops and retro navel-grazing briefs. All in all, it was well executed, but La Perla's ready-to-wear still has a lot of growing to do before it establishes a persuasive identity beyond the boudoir.
25 September 2006
Scarcely a month has passed since La Perla’s glitzy show on the casino-packed island of Macao, China, but Julia Haart was already showing her next collection at the Lobster Club last night. Flip through both shows and you’ll notice a few through lines: the bright jewel tones, the bustiers (naturally), the cinched suits, the graphic lace details, theultra-mini hemlines. Models weaved through the tables in Haart’s favorite shoe—a six-inch heel with a thick platform—and sported glossy blowouts and red lips. It’s a bombshell look rarely seen on the runways of 2017, but if La Perla’s back-to-back “destination” shows are any indication, there’s a customer for it.For Pre-Fall, which arrives in stores next summer, Haart was thinking about mosaics—and not in the figurative sense. “I went to Ravenna, where there are these 6th-century mosaic hearts, and I thought to myself, We all need a little warmth in our lives,” she explained. “There’s so much around us that’s so difficult, so I wanted to instill this feeling of pure, unadulterated, innocent happiness.” A snug ivory suit had mosaic-like panels of black lace at the ribcage, while other pieces took a more literal tack: A bra top with heart-shaped cups and a matching skirt came in a vibrant mosaic print, and, later in the show, there was a coat made of pieced-together shards of leather.Haart’s main—and most interesting—preoccupation at La Perla isn’t to push the high-fashion envelope but to make those sexed-up clothes feel comfortable and free. “My goal in life is to eradicate the concept of suffering for beauty,” she said. “I want women to put on my clothes and not have to think about them, and [to make] clothes that enhance her life, not restrict it. It’s this symbiotic balance of old-world luxury and modern innovation.” The looks that best merged those ideals were the suits with built-in cups, so you don’t have to wear a bra or a shirt.Gwyneth Paltrowwas wearing one in black with nothing underneath, and it looked seamless.Haart also introduced menswear for the first time, from classic tuxedos to Hugh Hefner–style robes. A savvy La Perla shopper will buy one for herself and wear it over a lace bodysuit and jeans during the day—then swap in a micro-mini after dark.
28 November 2017