Front Street store Lusso has struck a deal to carry the luxury leather goods and clothing brand Coach.

And last night the shop celebrated the new range with a party and preview.

Julia Currelly, fashion director and buyer for the Tess Group of stores, which includes Lusso, said the store would carry both Coach New York and its Coach 1941 range.

Coach’s international arm is headed by Ian Bickley, who is president, international group, for the brand.

Ms Currelly said: “Coach in a sense has reinvented itself recently for their 75th anniversary and launched Coach 1941.

“They’ve definitely taken a great new direction towards being even more fashion forward.

“We’re very excited at the launch of 1941 — Ian is a Bermudian and having a conversation with him, he though Lusso would be a great fit. From that, the idea grew.”

She added: “Any time a major global luxury brand wants to align themselves with Bermuda, it’s a vote of confidence in the brand that is Bermuda and the brand of Lusso. “There is also a great success that can come and a great alignment that comes from Coach putting themselves in places that, on a world platform, have a sense of being chic and an in place.

“The fact that Coach has chosen us is a feather in our caps.”

Ms Currelly added that the upcoming America’s Cup and an expected influx of wealthy visitors had also helped to boost the island’s image.

She said: “There’s certainly a lot of buzz internationally about it.

“I’m in the fashion capitals of the world all the time to find merchandise and people are very aware of it and what a big brand the America’s Cup is.”

Lusso will initially carry the women’s range in clothing, shoes and leather goods from the $11 billion dollar global Coach, one of the top three accessory brands in the world.

Mr Bickley, a Harvard graduate who is based in New York, said the brand had previously been carried by former department store Trimingham’s, but they exited the market when it shut up shop in 2004.

He added that Coach had modernised its range under CEO Victor Luis and creative director Stuart Vevers.

Mr Bickley said: “Under his creative stewardship, we have elevated the brand, making it more fashionable and doing the runway shows.”

He added that Lusso’s upmarket image and range complemented the new-look Coach.

Mr Bickley said: “I visit the island frequently and been in to see the store and met Julia and I’m familiar with the other brands they are carrying.

“From these two perspectives, it was the right time to go back and launch in Bermuda, but with a multi-brand business which also sells other luxury brands.”

Mr Bickley, a former pupil of Saltus Grammar School, has worked for Coach for 23 years.