La Perla
Italian luxury lingerie, swimwear and lifestyle brand founded in Bologna in 1954.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
La Perla is an Italian luxury lingerie and swimwear brand founded in Bologna in 1954 by Ada Masotti, a couturière trained in corset-making. The brand developed from Masotti's technical understanding of the female form and her practice of shaping fabric directly on the body. That method helped establish La Perla's long-standing emphasis on fit, line, movement and artisanal construction. During the 1960s, La Perla expanded beyond conventional white, black and nude lingerie by introducing colorful floral and checked patterns. It also entered beachwear with its first bikini and swimsuit collections. In the 1970s, the company introduced a silk-jersey triangle bra that reflected contemporary preferences for lighter construction and greater freedom of movement. The business broadened further in the 1980s, when Ada Masotti's son Alberto Masotti assumed leadership and guided the company through international expansion during a period of rapid growth in the underwear market. His wife, Olga Cantelli Masotti, served as a designer and later creative director, maintaining the family's influence over the product and visual identity. La Perla became known for treating lingerie as both intimate apparel and fashion. Its product development included the visible-under-suiting under-jacket in 1983, men's underwear and beachwear from 1985, the La Perla Maison line of handmade garments with embroidered details, and the Sculpture bra in 1994. The brand also moved into ready-to-wear, shapewear, loungewear, made-to-measure products and couture-oriented collections. Its fashion visibility was reinforced by celebrity and entertainment associations, including the appearance of Grigioperla swim trunks in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale and the use of the Cage line by Victoria Beckham and Beyoncé. Ownership changed several times after the family era. JH Partners acquired La Perla in 2008. Silvio Scaglia and Pacific Global Management bought the business at auction in 2013, after which the brand was relaunched with a strategy focused on consolidating its luxury identity. A proposed acquisition by Fosun International failed in 2018. Later that year, Sapinda Group acquired the brand and stated that production would remain at facilities in Italy and Portugal. La Perla also introduced made-to-order lingerie through flagship stores during this period. The business subsequently faced serious corporate and operational pressure. La Perla Global Management (UK) entered liquidation in 2023, and La Perla Manufacturing was declared insolvent in 2024. Administrators were appointed in the United Kingdom. In 2025, reports said that Peter Kern would acquire the brand through his investment company Luxury Holding, with the transaction described as preventing liquidation. La Perla therefore remains associated with Italian craftsmanship and luxury lingerie, while its precise operating structure and commercial status after the 2025 transaction require continued verification. La Perla is an Italian luxury lingerie and lifestyle brand associated with refined construction, decorative craftsmanship and a distinctly glamorous interpretation of intimate apparel. The business was established in Bologna in 1954 by Ada Masotti, a corset maker whose work helped build the brand around the idea that lingerie should combine technical fit with the visual qualities of couture. The name La Perla, meaning “the pearl,” reflects the brand’s early positioning around precious materials, artisanal finishing and highly considered presentation. The company’s original identity was rooted in specialist corsetry and lingerie manufacturing. Over time, La Perla expanded its range to include bras, briefs, bodysuits, slips, corsets, shapewear, nightwear, swimwear and other intimate or body-conscious garments. Its product language has often emphasized lace, silk, embroidery, fine tulle, satin and sculptural construction. The brand has also used lingerie expertise as a foundation for broader luxury categories, including beachwear, ready-to-wear, accessories, fragrance and related lifestyle products, although the breadth of its assortment has varied across different ownership periods. La Perla became internationally recognized through a combination of Italian production heritage, premium materials and an image centered on sensuality and elegance. Its collections have been distributed through branded boutiques, luxury department stores, specialist retailers and e-commerce channels in international markets. The brand’s communications generally frame lingerie as both a private foundation garment and a visible expression of personal style, allowing it to occupy territory between traditional corsetry, fashion and luxury lifestyle. The company has experienced changes in ownership and corporate organization over the years, which have affected its management, retail strategy and financial position. These changes make it important to distinguish the continuing La Perla brand from the legal entities that have operated it at different times. Publicly available information is not sufficient here to state a definitive current parent company, owner, listed status or operating status. The brand remains identifiable with Italian luxury lingerie, but its current corporate position and executive leadership require verification from up-to-date company, registry or reliable business sources. The business subsequently faced severe corporate and operational pressure. La Perla Global Management (UK) went into liquidation in 2023, and La Perla Manufacturing was declared insolvent in 2024. UK administrators were appointed. In 2025, Peter Kern was reported to be acquiring the brand through his investment company Luxury Holding, a transaction described as saving it from liquidation. La Perla therefore remains associated with Italian craftsmanship and luxury lingerie, although its exact operating structure and commercial status after the 2025 transaction remain subject to ongoing verification.
History
La Perla was established in Bologna in 1954 by Ada Masotti, whose training as a corset-maker shaped the company's early design philosophy. Rather than treating lingerie as a flat industrial product, Masotti worked by draping materials directly on the body. This approach emphasized anatomical fit, visual proportion and ease of movement, principles that remained central to the brand's identity. The company diversified during the 1960s. It introduced colorful floral and checked lingerie alongside traditional neutral shades and began producing bikinis and swimsuits. In the 1970s, it added a silk-jersey triangle bra that responded to changing fashion preferences and allowed a less restrictive silhouette. These developments helped La Perla move from a specialist corsetry workshop toward a broader luxury intimate-apparel business. Alberto Masotti, Ada's son, took charge in 1981 after studying medicine at the University of Bologna. His leadership coincided with the international expansion of the luxury underwear market. Olga Cantelli Masotti, who had joined the business as a designer in 1972 and later became creative director, contributed to the family's design continuity. La Perla introduced the under-jacket in 1983, making lingerie deliberately visible beneath tailoring, and expanded into men's underwear and beachwear in 1985. The company also developed La Perla Maison, a more artisanal range incorporating handmade construction and embroidered inserts. The Sculpture bra, launched in 1994, became another expression of the brand's structured approach to body shaping. In the 1990s and 2000s, La Perla widened its fashion and communications activities. Anna Masotti became head of communication in 1995 and served as a public representative of the family business. Ready-to-wear development brought in Steinunn Sigurdardóttir as creative director in 2000. The brand's visibility grew through entertainment and celebrity associations, including Grigioperla swimming trunks worn by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale in 2006. La Perla subsequently developed the Cage Bustier in 2007; the design was worn by Victoria Beckham and later expanded into a capsule collection associated with Beyoncé's 2014 Grammy Awards performance. Control left the founding family in 2008, when JH Partners purchased La Perla. Silvio Scaglia and Pacific Global Management acquired the company at auction in 2013 for a reported €69 million and relaunched it with an effort to consolidate its identity as a luxury house. The brand attracted criticism in 2014 after displaying mannequins with visibly exaggerated thinness in a New York store; the mannequins were removed. It also staged its first menswear catwalk at Pitti Uomo in Florence in 2014 and presented its first Atelier collection during Paris Couture Fashion Week in 2015. The company entered additional ownership and creative phases in the late 2010s. Julia Haart served as creative director in 2016–2017. In 2018, negotiations with Fosun International ended without a transaction, while Sapinda Group later acquired the business. Sapinda stated that manufacturing would remain in Portugal and Italy. La Perla launched made-to-measure lingerie through flagship stores and continued to develop shapewear, swimwear, loungewear, ready-to-wear and couture-oriented products. Nicole Rendone joined as creative director and chief design officer in 2021 and left in 2023. The brand then entered a period of financial distress. La Perla Global Management (UK) went into liquidation, followed by insolvency proceedings involving La Perla Manufacturing in 2024. UK administrators were appointed. In 2025, Peter Kern was reported to have acquired La Perla through Luxury Holding. The transaction placed the brand under new ownership, although details of its post-acquisition corporate organization and operating footprint remain subject to verification. La Perla was founded in Bologna in 1954 by Ada Masotti, who began with expertise in corsetry and intimate apparel. The company developed in an Italian manufacturing environment known for specialist garment production, and its early identity was shaped by attention to fit, construction and decorative detail. Rather than treating underwear solely as a utilitarian category, La Perla presented it as a luxury object whose materials and finish could approach the standards associated with fashion and couture. During its development, the brand broadened its assortment beyond foundational corsetry. Lace, silk, embroidery, tulle and satin became recurring elements in its collections, while the product range grew to include bras, briefs, bodysuits, corsets, slips, nightwear and shapewear. Swimwear and other body-conscious categories extended the brand’s visual language into adjacent parts of the wardrobe. La Perla’s retail and wholesale presence subsequently expanded outside Italy, helping it become recognized internationally as an Italian luxury lingerie label. The company’s commercial identity has combined artisanal references with strong fashion imagery. Its collections have often been designed to be worn privately, layered beneath clothing or shown as part of a more overtly sensual look. This dual role has allowed La Perla to compete in both specialist lingerie and broader luxury fashion environments. Its boutiques and presentation have traditionally emphasized a premium, intimate shopping experience, while international distribution has connected the brand with department stores, multi-brand luxury retailers and digital commerce. La Perla has also undergone changes in ownership and corporate structure. Such transitions have influenced investment, product development, retail operations and international strategy. The brand has been used at different times across lingerie, beachwear, ready-to-wear, fragrance and accessories, although lingerie remains its central category and primary source of recognition. Because ownership and operating-company information has changed over time, current corporate control should be checked against contemporary official filings and company announcements rather than inferred from historical descriptions. La Perla’s enduring significance comes from its role in establishing Italian lingerie as a luxury proposition with its own design and manufacturing language. Its heritage is based on the intersection of corsetry technique, decorative craftsmanship and fashion-oriented branding. The brand’s present corporate status is not sufficiently clear from the supplied reference material, so this entry records its historical identity and product scope while flagging current ownership, leadership and status for review.
- 2025
Acquired by Peter Kern through Luxury Holding
[1]Reports described Kern's acquisition as a transaction intended to save the brand from liquidation.
- 2024
Manufacturing business enters insolvency
[1]La Perla Manufacturing was declared insolvent amid wider corporate distress.
- 2018
Sapinda Group acquisition and made-to-measure launch
[1]Sapinda Group acquired the brand, while La Perla introduced made-to-order lingerie at flagship stores.
- 2015
First Atelier collection shown in Paris
[1]La Perla presented its first Atelier collection during Couture Fashion Week in Paris.
- 2013
Acquired by Silvio Scaglia and Pacific Global Management
[1]The new owners bought La Perla at auction and relaunched the brand.
- 2008
Acquired by JH Partners
[1]Ownership transferred to the San Francisco private-equity firm.
- 1994
Sculpture bra launched
[1]The Sculpture bra reinforced La Perla's structured and body-conscious design language.
- 1985
Expansion into men's underwear and beachwear
[1]La Perla extended its product scope beyond women's intimate apparel.
- 1981
Alberto Masotti assumes leadership
[1]Ada Masotti's son took charge and led the company's international expansion.
- 1970
Silk-jersey triangle bra introduced
[1]The company added a lighter triangle-bra construction suited to contemporary fashion preferences.
Products and positioning
Luxury lingerie and lifestyle fashion centered on Italian craftsmanship, couture-style construction, sensual design and premium materials.
Lingerie · 1954
Luxury lingerie
La Perla's core offering includes bras, briefs, corsetry and coordinated intimate apparel. The range is associated with premium fabrics, close attention to fit and fashion-led construction. Across its history, the brand has combined classic neutral colors with patterned and decorative designs, presenting lingerie as both a private garment and a visible component of luxury styling. The collections are associated with lace, silk, embroidery, fine tulle and satin, with construction and finishing treated as important parts of the luxury proposition. Designs can range from understated everyday foundations to highly decorative and fashion-oriented pieces. La Perla’s core offering consists of premium bras, briefs, bodysuits, slips and coordinated sets. The collections are associated with lace, silk, embroidery, fine tulle and satin, with construction and finishing treated as important parts of the luxury proposition. Designs can range from understated everyday foundations to highly decorative and fashion-oriented pieces.
Bra · 1994
Sculpture bra
Introduced in 1994, the Sculpture bra represented La Perla's structured approach to shaping and support. Its importance lies in the way it connected technical corsetry traditions with a more contemporary fashion silhouette, making engineered construction part of the product's aesthetic identity.
Fashion lingerie · 2007
Cage collection
The Cage Bustier was launched in 2007 and later developed into a capsule collection. Its graphic straps and architectural lines made the lingerie suitable for deliberate exposure under or alongside outerwear. The design gained broad cultural visibility through appearances associated with Victoria Beckham and Beyoncé.
Swimwear · 1960
Swimwear and beachwear
La Perla entered bikinis and swimsuits in the 1960s and later expanded its beachwear and men's swimwear activities. The category extends the brand's body-conscious design approach into resort clothing, with Grigioperla swim trunks becoming particularly visible through their appearance in Casino Royale. The category broadens the assortment through one-piece and two-piece swim garments, cover-ups and related pieces, generally using a glamorous styling approach consistent with the wider La Perla image. Swimwear and beachwear apply the brand’s body-conscious design language to resort apparel. The category broadens the assortment through one-piece and two-piece swim garments, cover-ups and related pieces, generally using a glamorous styling approach consistent with the wider La Perla image.
Shapewear · 2011
ShapeCouture
Launched in 2011, ShapeCouture marked La Perla's entry into shapewear. The range used tailored cuts, tulle inserts and openwork finishes to combine body-contouring functionality with the decorative language of luxury lingerie.
Couture lingerie · 2015
Atelier collection
The Atelier collection was first shown during Paris Couture Fashion Week in 2015. It represented La Perla's move toward more couture-oriented presentation and elevated, detail-intensive lingerie, reinforcing the idea of intimate apparel as an artisanal fashion discipline.
Custom lingerie · 2018
Made-to-measure lingerie
Introduced through flagship stores in 2018, the made-to-measure service extended La Perla's historical focus on fit into a personalized retail proposition. Products were made to order rather than selected solely from standard ready-to-wear sizing.
Shapewear and corsetry
Corsetry and shapewear
Corsetry and body-shaping products connect the brand's contemporary collections with its historical foundation in specialist fit and construction. These products may include corsets, structured bodysuits and shaping garments designed to contour the body while retaining the decorative materials and elevated finish associated with the house.
Nightwear
Silk nightwear
The nightwear range extends La Perla's use of silk, satin and fluid silhouettes beyond conventional lingerie. Products have included robes, slips, camisoles and coordinated sleepwear, positioned as luxury pieces that can function both as private apparel and as part of a broader leisure wardrobe.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Cage collection at the Grammy Awards
International
Beyoncé wore a Cage top during her 2014 Grammy Awards performance, bringing the collection to a large global audience. The appearance strengthened the collection's association with performance fashion and celebrity styling.
Outcome. The appearance strengthened the collection's association with performance fashion and celebrity styling.
- 2007Cage Bustier visibility
International
The Cage Bustier was worn by Victoria Beckham in the Spice Girls reunion video for Headlines, helping establish the design as a prominent fashion item. La Perla subsequently expanded the design into a Cage capsule collection.
Outcome. La Perla subsequently expanded the design into a Cage capsule collection.
- 2006Casino Royale product placement
International
Daniel Craig wore Grigioperla swimming trunks in the James Bond film Casino Royale, giving La Perla's swimwear international entertainment exposure. The product became one of the brand's most recognizable pop-culture associations; a pair was later sold at a Christie's Bond-related auction.
Outcome. The product became one of the brand's most recognizable pop-culture associations; a pair was later sold at a Christie’s Bond-related auction.
Brand decisions
2025
Transfer ownership to Peter Kern's Luxury HoldingM&ABackground
The decision followed liquidation and insolvency proceedings affecting La Perla's United Kingdom management and manufacturing operations.
Action taken
Peter Kern acquired the brand through Luxury Holding.
Aftermath
The transaction was reported as saving La Perla from liquidation; the post-acquisition operating structure remains to be verified.
2018
Introduce made-to-measure lingerieStrategyBackground
La Perla sought to reinforce its craftsmanship credentials and offer a more personalized luxury retail experience.
Action taken
The brand launched made-to-order lingerie through its flagship stores.
Aftermath
The initiative linked the brand's historical emphasis on fit with bespoke service, although later corporate distress affected the wider business.
2015
Present the first Atelier collection in ParisProduct launchBackground
The brand pursued a more elevated couture identity for its most elaborate lingerie.
Action taken
La Perla showed its first Atelier collection during Couture Fashion Week in Paris.
Aftermath
The presentation expanded La Perla's fashion positioning beyond conventional seasonal lingerie retail.
2014
Stage first men's runway show at Pitti UomoProduct launchBackground
After decades of activity in men's underwear and beachwear, La Perla increased the visibility of its men's offering.
Action taken
The company presented a men's loungewear and beachwear collection at Pitti Uomo in Florence.
Aftermath
The presentation positioned the men's line within a major international menswear trade and fashion setting.
2011
Enter the shapewear category with ShapeCoutureStrategyBackground
La Perla sought to extend its expertise in body-conscious apparel beyond traditional lingerie.
Action taken
It introduced ShapeCouture, combining tailored shaping cuts with tulle and openwork detailing.
Aftermath
The launch broadened the brand's category presence while retaining a luxury lingerie aesthetic.
Recent events
- 2025
Peter Kern reported to be acquiring La Perla[1]
M&A · Bankruptcy
Reports said Peter Kern would acquire La Perla through Luxury Holding, preserving the brand from liquidation.
- 2024
La Perla Manufacturing declared insolvent[1]
Bankruptcy
La Perla Manufacturing entered insolvency after the United Kingdom operating company had gone into liquidation.
- 2024
La Perla's UK operating company enters administration[3]
Bankruptcy · Other
The United Kingdom operating company associated with La Perla entered administration, reflecting continuing difficulties affecting parts of the brand's retail and corporate operations.
- 2018
Fosun acquisition discussions end without agreement[1]
M&A
Talks concerning a possible acquisition by Fosun International ended after disagreements associated with the proposed transfer of production to China.
- 2018
Sapinda Group acquires La Perla[1]
M&A
Sapinda Group acquired the brand and stated that production would be maintained at facilities in Portugal and Italy.
- 2018
La Perla becomes associated with Tennor Holding[4]
M&A
La Perla became part of the wider portfolio associated with Tennor Holding during a period of expansion and later financial strain.
- 2013
Silvio Scaglia and Pacific Global Management acquire La Perla[1]
M&A
The brand was purchased at auction and subsequently relaunched with a strategy intended to reinforce its luxury positioning.
- 2008
La Perla sold to JH Partners[1]
M&A
The Masotti family sold La Perla to US private-equity firm JH Partners, ending the founding family's direct ownership of the company.
Sources4 sources
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