As senior director of marketing for Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, Wendy Albert has seen Las Vegas evolve into the shopper’s paradise it is today. She took the time to speak to Las Vegas Magazine’s Sarah Feldberg recently.
What are some of the trends you’ve noticed for 2018?
I love seeing how things translate from the runway to the stores, because that gives all of us an opportunity to wear some of these great things that are out right now. Every year the Pantone Color Institute predicts the color of the year, and this year ultraviolet was that color. Everything you can possibly think of, they’ve done in that color.
Why do you think Las Vegas has become so popular for shopping?
Las Vegas is a great place to shop because there really is something for everybody. You can get everything here. A lot of people want to get stores from the East Coast and New York, or they want to get stores from Europe and Los Angeles. You can find them all here within just a couple miles of each other.
Tell us about some of your retailers.
Some of the stores we have are always on the cutting edge of trends and making sure they’re translating those into what the customer wants—H&M, Marciano, French Connection, Guess. You really can find something for any of your needs, whether it be going to dinner or going to a show, at those stores. Also now that the pool parties are back on at the dayclubs. Original Penguin has some amazing swimsuits for guys, and Bikini Bay has every possible bathing suit—a one-piece, a bikini, a monokini—whatever you could possibly want for the dayclubs.
You have an exciting mix of food and beverage outlets at Miracle Mile Shops. What are some highlights?
I think what makes this property unique is we always say that we’re “shoppable.” We’re affordable, we have approachable fashion, but then we also have the same thing for food. We have restaurants like Cabo Wabo Cantina, which is located right on the Strip. You can get some amazing Mexican food, a great margarita and then watch people walk up and down the Strip and the Bellagio fountains. Those are my favorite things to do in Las Vegas: people watch and those fountains.
How would you describe your personal style?
I probably lean a little bit towards classic shapes, but I like to throw in trendy pieces. I love shoes—the higher the better. I’m already 5 feet 9 inches tall, so I don’t need them, but I like super-high heels. I love any sparkly accessory that you can think of. The other thing that’s finding its way into my closet is a lot of giant cocktail rings. Swarovski here at Miracle Mile Shops has some of the most beautiful cocktail rings, and I seem to acquire a lot of those.
