Art

Lose yourself in the finery and whimsy of the revamped Regis Galerie

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A mosaic by Christopher Guy shimmers on a wall of Regis Galerie, the biggest distributor of Guy’s work in the U.S.
Photo: Erin Ryan

Regis Galerie

Through the buzz of tourists and the soaring voices of gondoliers soundtracking the Grand Canal Shoppes, I come to a doorway. Behind it lies a space that could be the Nome King’s treasury in Return to Oz, a collection of fine and beautiful things seemingly from every time and everywhere. A leggy showgirl offers me a glass of bubbly as I stare at Christopher Guy’s shimmering mosaic, a “jigsaw consisting of thousands of hand-crafted pieces.”

I stare and stare, eyes pulled in a thousand directions by stately ceramic hounds and crystal Schonbek chandeliers and a tree so expertly overloaded with Christmas I’m tempted to give it a hug. This is my first impression of Regis Galerie, and it’s an eyeful.

Respect the Duke.

Respect the Duke.

The next moment, Ike Dweck unfurls and walks on a $75,000 silk rug, assuring us that its many hundreds of knots per square inch make it indestructible. “You can play a football game on them and nothing’s gonna happen. That’s the quality,” says the general manager and heir to this family business popping ever so stylishly at the seams with luxury furniture and jewels and antiques and art. Michael Jackson was a patron, and it’s easy to see why, especially now that Regis has expanded its square-footage and launched the first phase of its “shop-in-shop” experiences.

Dweck says the new era of the gallery is all about “departmentalization,” meaning you won’t just see vignettes—you can walk into a boutique full of porcelain visions by coveted Spanish brand Lladró, or a Western den watched over by a painting of John Wayne and housing Burt Reynolds’ movie-tested prop guns. Plans are in motion to install a lavish workshop for Santa that will stand year-round, and shops for Liuli crystal, limited-edition bronzes by Bill Toma, Daum lamps and other favorites of Regis’ owners and clientele. “The ground-floor space was 3,300 square feet, and now it’s 8,400,” Dweck says, explaining that his team wants to make the gallery so stunningly experiential that it becomes a must-do for any Vegas trip. “Maybe you see the fountains at the Bellagio, you do the Ferris wheel thing at the Linq, maybe you go to the Grand Canyon, but you also go to Regis Galerie.”

Surrounded by luxury and precious antiques, an ancient mammoth tusk still draws the eye.

Surrounded by luxury and precious antiques, an ancient mammoth tusk still draws the eye.

As we tour its evolution, we pause to admire battle-worn Edo samurai suits from the 1700s and a carved mammoth tusk that’s between 10,000 and 30,000 years old. Dweck shows us a rare “linen-fold” Tiffany lamp, and an acorn model that belonged to Sir Elton John. Many objects in the gallery have such provenance. Dweck is most proud of the Asian art room, though he tells us that Michael Jackson’s favorite spot was the Empire room, with its French antiques and period art glass. Overall, though, the inventory leans heavier toward contemporary pieces, whether it’s whimsical bookends by Maitland-Smith, painted glass by Jacarte, a private-label couch or an Italian chessboard made exclusively for Regis. You’ll also find mixed-media works by local artist Lisa Herr, whom Dweck discovered at First Friday. Regis plans to showcase more local talent, and hopes to draw more local traffic—even if it’s just to marvel at the scenery. Dweck says he's happy to take anyone on a tour. “As corny as this may sound, it’s true: You just treat people right.”

And in the new era of Regis, you treat them to private events in the room normally dedicated to fine rugs and chandeliers. The gallery's director of marketing and development Erik Hebert came up with a way to amp up the slow season—when conventions are thick on the Strip, and attendees are looking for something interesting.

A painted urn in the Empire room, which was favored by Michael Jackson.

A painted urn in the Empire room, which was favored by Michael Jackson.

“Let me just tell you what 'interesting' in our mind would be: You have 12-20 people sitting in here. You have a painter painting, you might have an opera singer singing, you might have it catered in a very different, elegant way, and all of a sudden you’ve just put together a really awesome event that they haven’t had at their homes or where they’re from,” Hebert says.

With designer Heather Allen continuing to dream up the shop-in-shop spaces, Regis is pouring a lot into making the atmosphere more specific and way more inviting (in phase three, look for an “outdoor world” with vines and AstroTurf and flowing fountains), not to mention easier to browse. Even if you can’t afford a $3 million diamond necklace or a carrara marble Fu lion, Dweck says you might only spend $19 or $40 or $300 on an item that speaks to you. Plus, on weekends the Champagne is always flowing, and it’s always free. Word to the wise: Don’t miss the elevator.

Regis Galerie Grand Canal Shoppes, 702-414-3637, regisgalerie.com

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