Ferretti Debuts 1st U.S. Flagship, on Melrose
Italian label Alberta Ferretti quietly opened its first Los Angeles store in September.
On Nov. 12, influential stylist Rachel Zoe and actors Lucy Liu and Marisa Tomei partied at a gala to celebrate the opening.
Located at 8626 Melrose Ave., the boutique is the first of more than five U.S. boutiques planned for the Italian fashion house.
In a recent interview, the designer said there was no grand strategy for starting first in Los Angeles. Instead, a suitable spot in Los Angeles real estate just happened to be available earlier than in other U.S. fashion towns, including New York, Chicago and Miami.
But Ferretti also said she was charmed by the small-scale feel of Melrose Village, where her flagship is located.
“I know Rodeo Drive has an important fashion tradition. But Melrose Avenue had this Los Angeles flavor—this unique neighborhood feeling,” Ferretti said through a translator.
The neighborhood is in transition. A Balenciaga boutique debuted in March at 8670 Melrose Ave., and it helped make Melrose Village the latest hot retail neighborhood in Los Angeles. This burgeoning hub of boutiques is located at the cross streets of Melrose and Huntley Drive, between La Cienega and San Vicente boulevards.
The 4,500-square-foot Alberta Ferretti store offers price points ranging from $80 for tights to $19,915 for a purple mink coat. Neighboring retailer Justine Roddick of the Coco De Mer boutique said the Ferretti store should fit right into a close-knit retail neighborhood focusing on unique styles. “There’s something about her that feels accessible. There’s an independent spirit, even if it is a big brand,” Roddick said.
The Ferretti store was designed by London firm Sybarite Architects, which wanted the deacute;cor to stress nature and movement. The ceiling lights feature star patterns. The steel walls are magnetic, allowing fixtures to be placed at any spot on boutique walls.
The store offers all three of Ferretti’s lines, including the self-named main line, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, and Alberta Ferretti Girl. Even if opening the first Los Angeles store hedged on chance, some of it felt like destiny to Ferretti. “I see Los Angeles as a city of tomorrow. I see my clothes in that same way,” she said. —Andrew Asch
