Prada, Ferragamo and Jimmy Choo are among the brands that will be sold in the former space of Archie Brown on Front Street.

While rumours have been swirling that the new store Lusso ? which is Italian for luxury ? would open this Friday, David Hamshere, managing director of TESS Ltd. said yesterday that while the intent was to open "as soon as possible" the store was still a construction site with workers laying down marble floor and other fixtures.

When it does open, Lusso will carry luxury shoes, handbags, travel bags and other accessories from designers including Ferragamo, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Prada and Miu Miu.

Mr. Hamshere said that Tess Ltd. ? the parent company of Lusso as well as The English Sports Shop, Marks and Spencer, Aston and Gunn, Cecile's, Boutique CC, Taylor's and the Levi Shop ? is taking the store upscale because there is a "pent-up demand for higher quality goods" in Bermuda. "The shoe market at a particular level is well taken care of by Boyles but our existing clients tell us they are buying their Jimmy Choo, Ferragamo and Prada offshore as those brands are not represented in Bermuda," Mr. Hamshere said adding that many of his customers have noted that all of the local stores seem to carry the same merchandise and brands.

"Our aim was to bring in some exclusive brands and we were fortunate enough to persuade the [those brands that we were the people to carry them," he said.

At this stage Lusso will only carry accessories but Mr. Hamshere said that clothing might be added in the future.

All of the old lines from the Archie Brown store have either been sold off or moved to Taylor's in St. George's. Mr. Hamshere said that store as well as Marks and Spencer are both due to be renovated in the future but they will remain Taylor's and Marks and Spencer.