La Perla

La Perla is the apotheosis of luxury Italian lingerie and one of the few brands created by a woman.

Ada Masotti, a talented Italian corset maker, set up a small factory in 1954 in Bologna, a city renowned for its textiles industry since the 17th century. She presented her exquisite collections in boxes lined with velvet as if they were rich jewels, inspiring the brand name La Perla.

Ada was known for her exacting cutting and tailoring to complement the female shape and she used luxurious materials such as Leavers lace or Dentelle de Calais, woven on the Caudry looms near Calais, macramé and tulle embroidered in northern Italy and Switzerland.

The Masotti family redefined lingerie over successive decades, releasing more colourful collections alongside traditional white, black and nude and launching collections of bikinis and swimsuits. In the 1980s, Alberto Massotti, the founder’s son, presided over the brand’s international expansion and in the 21st century La Perla’s collections have been worn by Victoria Beckham and Beyoncé.

Over six decades, La Perla has closely followed the evolution of fashions and trends and the brand is synonymous with “Made in Italy” luxury, a global leader in lingerie and swimwear which continues to innovate while retaining the core brand values of quality and design.