Ralph Lauren recently opened their new luxury concept store in Miami’s Design District and hosted an unforgettable Miami experience to celebrate. Since the brand’s inception in 1967, it’s continuously proven to be one of the most notable fashion labels in the world, recently collaborating with the film Creed III. Last year, the company announced plans to expand their DTC presence, pulling back from their department store dominance. The opening of this location marks a notable shift in their strategy, as they intersect fashion, art and technology in this iconic Miami community.
To celebrate the new store opening, the brand hosted a private event at a water-front estate in North Miami. The beautiful space featured a stunning pool, manicured gardens and incredible views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline. Over the course of three days, guests were immersed in a distinctly Ralph Lauren experience that included a private performance by Leslie Grace.
The property featured wicker lounge chairs accented with navy and white stripes, gold accessories and classic blue-and-white entertaining pieces from the Ralph Lauren Home collection. Guests arrived in three 58-foot Vanquish Yachts custom branded with the RL logo. Aboard the ships, the crew wore RL Miami polo shirts and signature RL features such as branded napkins and pillows were sprawled throughout. The three day event even included a private tennis clinic at the estate with professional tennis player Juan Martín del Potro.
“The RL family always has a way of creating the most magical experiences and Miami was no exception. A dreamy night by the water in the warm Miami breeze felt like something out of a movie, and Leslie Grace’s soulful voice was the cherry on top to celebrate the opening of the new Ralph Lauren store. I think it’s a testament to the brand and how welcoming they are with everyone that I always meet the loveliest people at their events, because everyone feels relaxed and at home and open to connect and have a great time.” – Melissa Barrera
The new location emphasizes Ralph Lauren’s classic elegance and sophistication. The store boasts 4,135 square feet of quintessential Ralph Lauren aesthetics, pulling inspiration from waterfront properties common to the area. A mix of wood textures and white tiling offset with stainless steel and black detailing don the interior of the new space, which is tastefully staged with furniture by Ralph Lauren Home. Within, one will find a meticulous curation of the brand’s luxury labels - Men’s Purple Label and Women’s Collection garments and accessories. The store will also include one-of-a-kind handbags and products exclusive to the Design District location. This combination of unique pieces and the brand’s regular product lines will attract a myriad of shoppers—appealing to both everyday consumers and fashion aficionados.
The Miami Design District is known as a hub for creativity and innovation and Ralph Lauren took full advantage of this, building a flagship store that marries the brand’s traditional elements with modern features. The community has an international presence, attracting fashion and art enthusiasts from around the world as well as Miami locals. With rotating exhibits, a plethora of luxury shops, trendy restaurants and intricate public art installations, the district has plenty to offer for a creative mind. A mural on the Miami Museum Garage wall will even feature a reinterpretation of the recent Ralph Lauren Women’s Collection Spring’23 campaign.
The brand is also using this new concept to integrate digital features into their physical stores. They’ve partnered with Poolsuite, a Web3 community emphasizing classic Miami lifestyle, to create a unique NFT to be gifted to existing Poolsuite community members. This digital art piece grants holders exclusive access to a special event. Users of Poolsuite’s Grand Leisure collection will also be able to dress their ‘Leisurist’ avatars in digital Ralph Lauren looks with the newly released RL-3000 Avatar Upgrade System.
In a true sign of the times, this location will also serve as the first Ralph Lauren store to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment. Through collaboration with BitPay, customers will be able to pay in various digital currencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Polygon (MATIC).
Customers will also have virtual capabilities such as viewing all available products, booking interactive styling appointments, curating wishlists and more using interactive digital screens placed throughout the store. This feature has become major within retail environments and something shoppers value when visiting physical stores.
There’s been a significant rise in brands merging fashion, art and technology and Ralph Lauren is among them. As they expand, the brand plans to continue creating environments that integrate both digital platforms and physical stores, reaching a wider consumer base and staying ahead of the times. We can expect to continue seeing this retail model demonstrated in Ralph Lauren stores in the US and abroad.
