Business Connections: Lessons in Lingerie at French Lessons Boutique

Winchester has a bevy of boutiques in the downtown area, but French Lessons Boutique brings the boudoir décor to Thompson Street.

Manager Brenda Arenas talked with Winchester Patch about working at a store recently voted one of the hottest shops in Los Angeles, California.

WP: How long has this shop been here?

BA: We’ve been here seven years now.

WP: How would you describe this shop to someone who didn’t know what it was? 

BA: So it’s a women’s boutique. The Store is called French Lessons because when we first opened, it was a lingerie shop. We opened another shop in Concord and started selling more clothing and lingerie. Then Hamilton, Winchester and Wellesley. We also have a store out in Santa Monica.

WP: Who are some designers you carry?

BA: We carry Nanette Lepore, Diane Von Furstenberg, Trina Turk, just to name a few. We’re also known for our denim. We sell great denim here.

The owners are Gilda and Gilbert Tunney. I think this is something they always wanted to do. We’re very inspired by the French and European style. A magazine out of Santa Monica wrote up French Lessons as one of the top 54 shops in Los Angeles.

WP: How did your shop get from the East Coast all the way out to L.A.?

Gilda always wanted to open something in L.A. But it all started here in Massachusetts.