Betting on South Beach Luxury Shopping, Vivienne Westwood Plans to Open Store – Commercial Observer
Vivienne Westwood is finally getting serious about opening a boutique in Miami’s South Beach.
Almost two years after buying the three-story property at 736 Collins Avenue and letting it sit vacant, the luxury fashion brand has submitted an application to build out the property, which dates back to 1921.
The 4,356-square-foot ground-floor space would feature a store with three fittings rooms and two storage rooms. The second floor would house executive offices and meeting rooms, while the top floor would include a bridal showroom and rooftop deck. A neon sign would be mounted onto the entrance wall.
The project “honors the building’s 1921 Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival heritage while introducing contemporary elements,” wrote Daniel Gabay, who runs National Permit Group and filed the proposal.
The modern elements include “Florida limestone cladding, polished brass storefront and motifs, a rigid canopy reinterpreting the documented historic faux eave, a landmark pink neon signature, and the iconic Orb statue in the forecourt,” per the application, which Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board will consider next month.
In 2024, the British brand paid $6 million for the 14,692-square-foot building located just a few blocks west of Ocean Drive, sandwiched between Seventh and Eighth Streets. Unlike most luxury labels of its size, it remains independent under the ownership of Vivienne Westwood’s family. The namesake designer passed away in 2022.
Vivienne Westwood, the brand, is betting that high-end retail will return to the heart of South Beach. In the 1990s and 2000s, the area housed boutiques from the likes of Versace, Hugo Boss and Barney’s. But almost all shuttered, opting instead to open outposts at the Bal Harbour Shops up north and the Design District out west, which have become some of the highest-grossing upscale malls in the country.
Julia Echikson can be reached at jechikson@commercialobserver.com.
