Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/533211
Quirk it Out Will a dazzling shoWgirl replace the kitty as the talisman For devoted Charlotte olympia shoe collectors? a glamorous neW vegas boutique is sure to convert the uninitiated. by adrienne gaffney above, from top: Roulette bag ($1,395), Snake Eyes Pandora bag ($1,195), and Poker Face Kitty flats ($565), Charlotte Olympia. The Forum Shops at Caesars, 702-895-7510; charlotteolympia.com "i definitely think vegas has a 'more is more' approach." —charlotte dellal For Charlotte Dellal, the designer behind the cult- favorite shoe brand Charlotte Olympia, preparing to visit her new Las Vegas shop has led to thoughts on the city's distinctive style. "I always say it's easier to design something a bit more f lamboyant and tone it down than the other way around," says Dellal, "and I definitely think that Vegas has a 'more is more' approach. When I go there, I will be wearing my highest heels." An outpost in Las Vegas is the latest coup for the quirky line that was born in 2008 and earned global fame several seasons later when its kitty-cat f lats became a favorite of Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Lena Dunham. After opening boutiques in seven cities—New York, Los Angeles, and London among them—the English-born Dellal was keen to break ground in Vegas. "It's a super-bustling city full of people from around the world," she says. "Even from an interna- tional perspective, it was a great location to be at because there are so many visitors there as well." Inspired by her love of Hollywood glamour of the 1940s and '50s, the Forum Shops store exudes femi- nine luxury and is filled with sumptuous midcentury furnishings. "One of the reasons that I love having my own stores is that you can put [my designs] in the world that they were meant to be in," Dellal says. "The boutique showcases them, and I think elevates them, better than in any other environment." It also demonstrates just how widely Charlotte Olympia has expanded in its relatively short life- span. In the center of the store is a room devoted to the brand's new line of leather goods, while another room houses its bridal range and its collection for little girls, Incy. These will soon be joined by collec- tions for men and boys. Unique to this shop is a line of Las Vegas – inspired pieces, including a pair of hot-pink T-bar heels featuring a glitzily dressed showgirl in a feathered headdress and Dellal's dis- tinctive Kitty f lats customized with a "poker face." But as wildly glamorous as her pieces may be, Dellal insists that her design aesthetic, shaped by her education at the London College of Fashion, is grounded in an appreciation for the traditional. "I love classic designs," she says. "At the end of the day, I guess I have a whimsical approach to certain designs within my ranges. Ultimately they're femi- nine and elegant at the same time, with a touch of a sense of humor as well." The opening of her Vegas store and her brand's monumental success have left Dellal very pleased, but she doesn't plan on getting ahead of herself. "It feels fantastic, but at the same time we've always taken an organic approach to it, so it's always felt like doing things at the right time that worked for the brand at that moment," she says. "I have wish lists that I would love to do, but we execute them when it feels right. It always has to feel right." And with Dellal continuing to find inspiration in sneakers, heels, and smoking slippers, don't expect Charlotte Olympia to leave shoes behind anytime soon. "Even within the footwear range," she says, "there's so much to be done!" The Forum Shops at Caesars, 702-895-7510; charlotteolympia.com V vegasmagazine.com 39