The collection—with a marked preference for black and white pieces—introduces silks, embroidered tulle, sequins, and bold transparency effects that showcase intimate garments over clothing in combination with tuxedo pieces and laser cuts.
The new proposal coquettishly dilutes the boundaries between inner and outerwear, featuring pieces that allow women to reveal traditionally hidden luxury without sacrificing the natural and balanced elegance that characterize La Perla.
This collection, presented during Milan Fashion Week, marks the debut of La Perla’s new creative director, the young Brazilian designer Pedro Lourenço, who is only 25 years old.
The flamboyant designer is inspired by the Oscar Niemeyer’s (1907-2012) sinuous shape elegantly manufactured with graphic cuts. Niemeyer is one of the world’s most influential architects of the 20th and early 21st centuries.
This unique collection also features optical illusions that create the fantasy of geometric patterns over a naked skin and ultimately takes luxury beyond the scope of privacy. The looks are complemented with sterling silver jewelry, high heels with ankle straps, canvas or leather handbags, sun hats, and calfskin belts.
Lourenço—praised by international critics and considered a child prodigy—has worked with leading fashion brands such as Lanvin and Giambattista Valli.
His new creative direction in no way represents a break with the brand’s origins, which were established in 1954 by Italian designer Ada Masotti. In this case, we see an extension of the label’s sense of sensuality and elegance.
Masotti started her business in a small corsetry atelier in the city of Bologna—famous for its beautiful silks and textile products—with the idea of creating garments that were faithful to the purest Italian tradition.
As an expert in corsetry and using the highest standards, her goal was clear and without limitation: to highlight the female figure.
Product excellence evident in their presentation, as Masotti strove to deliver her creations in boxes lined with velvet as if they were precious jewels, hence the name La Perla, a gem that represents femininity, mystery, and harmony.
Since its inception, Masotti’s philosophy was based on the principle that fashion is always changing, and, therefore, intimate apparel must adapt to such changes.
Under this premise, Lourenço not only pays homage to Masotti but places a contemporary stamp on a fashion house seeking to become a lifestyle brand. ■