Bernini (fashion)

Bernini is a men's fashion company based in Beverly Hills that was popularized in the 1990s and expanded rapidly into multiple stores.[1][2] The clothing was sold out of a boutique store on Rodeo Drive before adding multiple locations there and elsewhere.[1][2][3] Bernini's stores were known as offering "the very best menswear", with some branches selling custom-made suits.[3] Pricing for a suit, shirt, and shoes could run into the thousands of dollars.[1]

Visitors to the line's many stores included celebrities like rapper Puff Daddy and basketball player Michael Jordan.[1][4] Bernini suits were worn on-air by Love Connection television show host Chuck Woolery, who was provided the suits by the company, as noted by the program announcer at the end of each show.[5]

By 1998, Bernini had expanded to three locations on Rodeo Drive, including the original store at 346 N. Rodeo, Bernini Sport at 326 N. Rodeo, and Bernini Couture at 355 N. Rodeo[6]—leading to the facetious observation that Rodeo Drive was "threatening to become 'Bernini Drive'".[2]

The company opened locations in large outlet shopping centers, like in Cabazon, California.[7] In the late 1990s, the company opened "Off Rodeo Drive Beverly Hills" multi-brand superstores inside of Mills Corporation shopping centers, including in Ontario, California (Ontario Mills), suburban Houston, Texas (Katy Mills), and suburban Dallas-Fort Worth (Grapevine Mills).[8][9][10] The "Off Rodeo Drive" properties consisted of a corridor replicating the actual Rodeo Drive of Beverly Hills, with separate doorways leading to mini-stores for clothing brands such as Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Gianni Versace, Hugo Boss, Moschino, Shauna Stein, Giorgio Armani, and Bernini.[8][9][10][11]

As of 2009, Bernini also operated a number of shops in Las Vegas, including a Bernini and "the fancy men's clothing store"[4] Bernini Collections at Caesars Palace Forum shops, a Bernini Couture at Caesars Palace Appian Way shops, and The Bernini Collezioni at the MGM Grand, selling items from other companies including Brioni, Canali, Versace, Hugo Boss, and Zegna.[3]

Bernini's owner is Yousuf Tar, who previously owned a clothing boutique in South Africa and Burton's of Santa Monica.[12][13][5][14]

Tar, a billionaire, has been known in the region for his residence, a Bel Air mansion nicknamed the 'Tar Mahal' or the 'Chateau d'Or', which was nearly purchased by Michael Jackson shortly before the entertainer's death in 2009.[5][14][15]