retail profiles // sexy // déjà vu love boutique

Déjà Vu opened the 15,000-square-foot Déjà Vu Love Boutique in Las Vegas on January 1st. This marks the self-described "upscale" adult retailer's second store in the city and their 29th nationwide. To kick off the store’s opening, Forplay installed a wall dedicated to their apparel, as they did in November at Déjà Vu’s other Vegas store. The Love Boutique’s general manager, Andrea Brown, described the Forplay wall as "just beautiful."

"Déjà Vu works to change the concept of adult shopping by providing customers with a more upscale, fun, female friendly, and couple friendly arena in which to explore their inner fantasies and bring romance back into their lives," Brown said.

Brown has six years under her belt with Déjà Vu. When the company was building the original Love Boutique, they approached Brown, who then worked in interior design. "They made me an offer I could not refuse, and the rest is history," she said.

She described the new store's design as "simple, clean, and visual." It is filled with displays to spark shoppers' curiosity. Her and the store's other three managers share buying responsibilities, and this April she will attend the International Lingerie show. The store employs 20 people in total who "are always learning new techniques to help them be better sales people. If you do not know your products you cannot sell them."

The majority of their apparel runs in sizes XS to 3X/4X, with the corsets and bustiers the chain is known for in sizes 32 to 44. Prices span anywhere from $22.99 for a boxed lingerie set to $950 for a Swarovski crystal corset. Customers range in age from 18 to 70, and spend an average of $30 to $50 per visit, although some regularly spend around $4,000 in one visit, according to Brown.

She added that most customers "come in with someone else in mind. Sometimes our male customers have a little trouble figuring out what to buy, but our staff is there to help them." Her most-requested brands are Shirley of Hollywood, Leg Avenue, Coquette and Forplay, and her current most popular lingerie items are thigh-high fishnets for $9.99 to $79.99. They carry men's underwear brands including Hustler, Zack, and Unico.

According to Brown, staying afloat during the economic recession is all about pampering the customers, from running discounts and specials to giving loyal clientele the occasional free gift. Like the rest of the Déjà Vu’s stores, the Love Boutique will hold three major events this year: a couples night, a ladies night out, and a Halloween costume fashion show. To attract a variety of customers, Brown is running weekly advertisements in Vegas' mainstream and gay-friendly newspapers.The store is also featured in a local television commercial, and has installed a 1,000-square-foot Marque commercial sign over a major freeway.

Lately, she has noticed a return to styles of yesteryear in the intimate apparel industry.

"Everything old is new again, from the glamour of old Hollywood to the classic pin up, and even a little from the dark side," she commented.

Perhaps in this tough economic climate, we all could use a little déjà vu.