For decades, Bal Harbour was the only shopping destination in the Miami area for customers seeking a wide assortment of luxury goods. But times are a changing and with that, Miami Design District – once a sleepy swath of furniture stores – is fast becoming a new destination of luxury shops.
Louis Vuitton’s flagship store is one of about 20 top-drawer brands set to open in the district this month. Nearby will be Valentino, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari and Christian Dior boutiques. Other brands leaving Bal Harbour for the Design District include: Hermès, Cartier, Emilio Pucci and Givenchy.
Another 30 or so are planned for the first half of 2015, and by the end of 2016, the developer Craig Robins plans to have about 120 high-end tenants in a 10-square-block radius, alongside restaurants, galleries, a boutique hotel, sculptures, murals and 300 new trees. These shops and restaurants will be in individual buildings along walkways and streets, in the manner of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.