No! Je ne crois pas! Une boutique de Lacroix ici? Impossible! Inconcevable! Mais, oui. C'est vrai. Translation: Famous French fine-wares house sets up shop on the Strip. You might not recognize the name, but you know Lacroix. Infamous for his mockery of the '80s minimalist movement, Christian Lacroix was rebuffed by his contemporaries for refusing to design women's work wear. Dependably dramatic and defiantly decadent, Lacroix took a theatrical approach to everyday items, creating capes in lieu of overcoats and combating the power suit with bright satin silks. His "le pouf" cocktail dress was the antithesis of sleek and chic styles.
And even in today's competitive couture market, he couldn't care less about the commercial climate. Logo loyalists and celebutante wannabes won't be clamoring for Lacroix's fitted, feminine and flirty 2006 fall-winter pieces, until they see the charm-laden key chains. Equal parts French lace lingerie and Spanish toreador costuming, this season includes velvet gloves in psychedelic paisleys, clutches covered in satin bows and Swarovski, and crimson-heeled suede boots.
Casting off conventional notions of tiered collections, Lacroix's jeans line easily coordinates with his black-label selection. So you can pair that satin-edged velvet blazer with any of his superskinny jeans and still be head-to-toe Lacroix.
His brand new boutique, poised at the threshold between the old Caesars Forum Shops and the three-story expansion, is just another illustration of Lacroix's eclectic interests and unconventional approach. With gold oozing from the antiqued walls, a handmade Murano glass collage—tinted atomic-tomato red—and mirrored brick tiling the entry like a disco ball, his first stateside boutique looks more like an art installation that a clothing store. Baroque boudoir tables painted in pearlized plum conceal his selection of fine underthings, and a black-lacquer bubble houses his collection of accessories.
Even the dressing suites are outfitted with glass sculptures. But don't get distracted by the decor, Lacroix's boutique director, Daniel Martinez, warns. "I made sure we have an awesome selection and many more styles than other retailers, but I didn't overstock on sizes, so once a piece is sold, it's gone for good." Comprendez-vous?
Christian Lacroix
Where: Forum Shops at Caesars.
Info: 731-0990.
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