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LAFAYETTE 148 NEW YORK OPENS WEST COAST FLAGSHIP STORE IN CALIFORNIA’S SOUTH COAST PLAZA
New York, NY (October 22) – Lafayette 148 New York opens a West Coast flagship store in Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza, a global shopping destination renowned for its breadth and depth of luxury offerings. The store establishes an important new base for the company in the West Coast market and is the latest step in the brand’s rapid retail expansion, becoming its twenty-first new retail location globally in the past six years. This new boutique will cater to Lafayette 148’s robust West Coast customer base, helping to enrich and personalize relationships with the brand’s existing online clients, as well as build awareness in this important market.
With $1.5 billion in annual sales, South Coast Plaza has one of the world’s highest concentrations of luxury brands under one roof. Like Lafayette 148, South Coast has been privately owned since it opened, founded in 1967 by the Segerstrom family. “This is truly the perfect West Coast home for us,” says Lafayette 148 Co-Founder and CEO, Deirdre Quinn. “From their family-owned structure to their commitment to philanthropy and supporting the arts, their values really align with the spirit of Lafayette 148.”
“South Coast Plaza is proud to welcome Lafayette 148 to its West Coast home,” said Debra Gunn Downing, spokeswoman for South Coast Plaza. “This flagship is an exceptional addition to our strategically curated collection. We’re especially thrilled that Lafayette 148 will offer comprehensive brand immersion, the better to draw shoppers who seek personalized and memorable experiences.”
Beyond building a world-class fashion destination, the Segerstrom family has helped make Costa Mesa a mecca for arts, theater and dining. The Segerstrom Centre for the Arts draws visitors from far and wide with its classical, pop, jazz and opera programming, and the city is home to critically acclaimed artworks by the likes of Richard Serra and Isamu Noguchi. “We’re fortunate at Lafayette 148 to have a highly educated, engaged customer,” says Quinn. “She has an appreciation for craftsmanship and culture, and this vibrant location will give us a strong platform for connecting with her and serving her needs.”
The interior of the shop was overseen by Chief Creative Officer Barbara Gast in collaboration with the Store Design and Planning team and represents the next generation of store design for Lafayette 148, with a distinctive West Coast sensibility. The brand’s modern, minimalist aesthetic is reflected throughout, balancing clean lines with a soft palette that builds off of the company’s new corporate headquarters in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. A limestone storefront and white brick walls are set off with mirror anodized stainless steel hangbars and contemporary furnishings. In the center of the store, a one-of-a-kind freestanding feature wall, made in custom-sourced white oak, will showcase folded garments and accessories. Artwork incorporated throughout the store, as well as sculptural furnishings and pebbled cognac Italian leather upholstery and wall panels, lend the shop warmth and a distinctively artful touch. Art and architecture have long been common threads in Lafayette 148’s design approach, from its collections to its digital flagship and brick and mortar environments.
Shoppers at South Coast Plaza will find an extensive, thoughtfully curated edit of the latest fashion collection as well as designs suited to California’s warmer climate. Luxury statement pieces, from Italian suede and cashmere double-face coats to hand-embellished dresses and fur trimmed knits, will be refreshed monthly. For the modern career woman, Lafayette 148’s famous precision tailored suiting and separates, as well as silk blouses, clean-lined trousers and their iconic white shirting, offer a range of outfitting options. Timeless sweaters spun in their signature blends of cashmere, silk and linen offer customers luxury without the weight. Anchoring the assortment are accessories, jewelry and the company’s Italian-made shoe collection, ideal for clients seeking head-to-toe looks. The store will also carry a capsule of exclusive designs—including cashmere vests and lounge pants, a glazed lambskin coat and Italian double-face pants—available only at this location.
The shopping experience at Lafayette 148 South Coast Plaza will be highly customized. Personal Stylists will work one-on-one with guests to curate wardrobes and pull edits for special events or travels, and private fittings and alterations are complimentary.
Thanks to its proximity to dozens of universities, South Coast Plaza draws a distinctly international clientele, including from Asia and the Middle East, both regions where Lafayette 148 already has a loyal following. The brand will have a dedicated Client Relations Lead devoted to servicing its international customer base.
The store will be feted with an opening event to benefit Girls, Inc., an organization which helps support, mentor and inspire girls to be strong, smart and bold. Lafayette 148 plans a robust schedule of events and personal appearances at South Coast Plaza in the year ahead.
About Lafayette 148 New York
Created in 1996, Lafayette 148 is known for sophisticated, clean-lined designs that fuse luxurious fabrics, outstanding craftsmanship and a modern sensibility inspired by the dynamism of New York City. With its own design studio and production facility in Shantou, China, Lafayette 148 New York is one of the few vertically-integrated fashion brands. The collection is distributed online at Lafayette148ny.com, Tmall and in 21 freestanding boutiques in the U.S. and China, as well as in specialty stores and luxury department stores throughout the world. For more information on Lafayette 148 New York, please visit www.lafayette148ny.com.
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Contacts:
Nicole Allen
nicole.allen@lafayette148NY.com
646.922.1795
Cory Ransom
cory@qandamarketing.com
818.497.7750
PLEASE SEE THE BELOW LINKS TO:
IMAGES OF THE SOUTH COAST PLAZA STORE
BIO AND HEAD SHOT OF CEO DEIRDRE QUINN