Jitrois Opens First U.S. Flagship, in NYC

Jitrois, a luxury leather label worn by celebrities from Cher and Elton John to Cindy Crawford and Heidi Klum, on Tuesday opened its first U.S. flagship, a 700-square-foot store at 959 Madison Avenue between 75th and 76th Streets. The flagship is estimated to do sales of $2 million in its first year, $3 million in its second and $4 million in its fourth, said Jitrois chief executive officer Gilbert Maria. “We plan to develop our own freestanding stores across America,” he said, citing Miami, Los Angeles and Las Vegas as target cities. Jean-Claude Jitrois, founder of the luxury leather brand, attended a party on the eve of the store opening, wearing a silver mesh vest and skintight leather pants. The store is licensed to Annette Presley, a New Zealand entrepreneur and cofounder of Slingshot, one of the country’s largest Internet providers, which she recently sold, and Jodi Shelton, founder and ceo of Shelton Group and Global Semiconductor Alliance. Shelton downplayed the big differences between technology and electronics and fashion, saying only that they met Jitrois “serendipitously” in Paris. “They completely bought into my philosophy,” Jitrois said.” We loved it because the customers are so loyal,” Shelton said. The brand has a cult following

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