PRINT THIS STORY:

CHANGE TEXT SIZE:

LUXURY BRANDS TARGET U.S. FOR EXPANSION

• Simon Property Group agreed to open a 1,500-square-foot Christian Lacroix store later this year at The Forum Shops at Caesars, in Las Vegas. The couture company is seeking a New York store as well; it is in expansion mode after being purchased from LVMH by Florida’s Falic Group, which also controls the Duty Free Americas chain of 75 stores. Christian Lacroix currently operates about 20 boutiques around the globe.

• Porsche is pairing up with Italian leather-goods company Salvatore Ferragamo to open 55 Porsche Design stores in several countries, including England, Germany, Japan and the U.S. The stores will sell high-end luggage and accessories for men.

• Italian luxury leather-goods brand Furla plans to open as many as 40 U.S. stores by the end of next year.

• Japanese skin care brand Shu Uemura opened its second U.S. store, on San Francisco’s Fillmore Street in May. The chain, which offers $24-per-strand hair extensions, says it plans to open two stores per year moving forward. Shu Uemura is owned by L’Oréal and the Uemura family.

• Retail conglomerate Candie’s says it is opening two Badgely Mischka stores in California this year — a 3,800-square-foot unit at the 2 Rodeo Drive shopping center in Beverly Hills and a 2,800-square-foot unit in Palm Desert. Candie’s acquired the brand from Escada USA last year and says it is looking at opening stores in Bal Harbour and Palm Beach, Fla.; Las Vegas; and New York City.

• Italian designer Valentino opened its sixth U.S. store last month — a 3,000-square-foot unit at South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, Calif. The brand, which operates 36 boutiques worldwide, is seeking locations in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Francisco.

• Oscar de la Renta is aggressively expanding in the U.S. The company opened a 2,100-square-foot store at the Americana Manhasset, on New York’s Long Island last month, and is currently scouting locations in Chicago; Dallas; Miami; Beverly Hills and Costa Mesa, Calif.; and San Francisco.