How it began:

In 1954 with energy and desire to attain Ada Masotti opened in Bologna a little corsetry laboratory with a name full of promises, La Perla. Indeed, the case lined with red velvet with which the first creations were transported did in fact resemble a jeweller’s case. Ada Masotti was trained in the environment of the best city atelier becoming a accomplished corset maker. Thanks to this "artisan" training, Ada Masotti laid down the foundations of that unique know-how that is still today a vital part of the La Perla philosophy.

In the second half of the 50's Ubaldo Borgomanero, a young salesman that travelled all the Italian territory selling sewing “threads" to small milliners shops, met Ada Masotti and started a collaboration lasted a lifetime. He was very charismatic and talking to the clients was able to give Ada Masotti the right suggestions on what women needed and what could be new amongst the bras present at that time. In a certain way he did a constant market research while he developed the first real distribution of the product in Italy.

Starting from the Sixties the son of the foundress Alberto Masotti, after having graduated in Medicine, decided to completely dedicate himself to the family company. Since October 2008 the company has been owned by JH Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm established in 1986 and focused on investments in growth-oriented middle market consumer products and services companies, with a particular prominence on luxury brands. It distinguishes itself among private equity firms in that each of its principals has senior-level operating experience building consumer-related businesses. The firm is truly committed to give a new momentum and impulse to La Perla.