Upscale retailer Veronica Beard to open at Phillips Place

Backstory: Sisters-in-law Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard launched their eponymous label in 2010 and debuted at New York Fashion Week in September 2012, per a statement from Phillips Place and Veronica Beard.

• Today, the brand is known for its cropped jackets and blazers.

Why it matters: The addition of Veronica Beard underscores how Charlotte is increasingly a place where luxury retailers want to plant their flag. Gucci opened at SouthPark mall a few years ago, for instance. Alexander McQueen opened its first North Carolina store at the mall last year, too.

• Additionally, Phillips Place, an upscale shopping destination that opened in 1997 as the city’s first mixed-use development, is in the midst of a $50 million makeover. The evolution includes adding a number of popular new tenants. Among them: Ladies of Lineage, the ritzy three-story RH Charlotte and soon, Bonterra Coffee and Wine Bar.

Details: The local Veronica Beard boutique will be in a 1,671 square-foot space at 6800 Phillips Place Court, Ste. C, next to Custom Ink. It’s being decorated by interior designer Carolina de Neufville, with a goal of creating a “welcoming place to shop.”

What they’re saying: “Veronica Beard is an incredible brand that we know will be extremely successful in the Charlotte market. This store opening marks just the beginning of new contemporary and luxury brands we are planning to bring to Phillips Place,” said Ray Washburne, Phillips Place co-owner, in the statement.