The latest Italian premium denim manufacturer to try its luck in the American market is Romano SpA, which made $94.6 million in sales in 2003 supplying denim to high-fashion brands such as Paris-based Notify.

This summer, the company is testing its denim brand Meltin’ Pot at boutiques including H. Lorenzo in Los Angeles, The Jeanery in San Diego, Villains in San Francisco and select stores in the Washington, D.C.–based Up Against the Wall chain.

Romano’s North American chief executive officer, Vince Gonzales, recently visited Los Angeles during the Project Global Trade Show and confirmed plans to build a West Coast presence for Meltin’ Pot by the January market.

Gonzales, who was hired to introduce London- based Ben Sherman to American youth in the late 1990s, said he intends to house the office in a nontraditional space, such as a restaurant, and wants to keep the address close to the action in downtown Los Angeles.

“There’s a lot going on downtown,” Gonzales said. “When people come to town, they want something convenient to the other showrooms they need to see, which are adjacent to the California Market Center and The New Mart.”

Meltin’ Pot is currently sold in more than 2,000 European boutiques, including Parisbased Collette. The brand features three lines: Fast Lane is the basic denim line, Color is the non-denim fashion line, and Premier is the fashion denim line. Price points range from $130 to $150 for the five-pocket jeans, which come in 38 fits and 25 washes.

Gonzales will also open an office in New York’s Meatpacking District in December.

Romano SpA, founded in 1994, is based in Matino, Italy. The company also owns the 220-store Jeans Fritz chain in Germany.

—Andrew Asch