Fully clad in tree bark, the Christian Louboutin Flagship boutique at Miami is a 3,874 square-foot visual statement that reaffirms the brand’s sustainability efforts. The designer store is a breath of fresh air along the Miami Design District, which is currently a reformed hub for design boutiques, luxury fashion brands and art galleries. Spanning two levels, the boutique occupies the same spot as the original store opened in 2009, when the neighbourhood used to be a neglected area.
Christian Louboutin Flagship Boutique at Miami pays homage to its French roots and the environment
In collaboration with 212box Architecture, the luxury designer draws inspiration from its French roots in recreating the atmosphere of Palais de la Porte Dorée in Paris. The building might have been merely one of the many museums in town for most, but it marks a significant memory for Christian Louboutin where he first saw a sketch of a shoe. Definitely one with a vision that enhances the Miami design district, Louboutin said:
“I wanted to reproduce the ceiling of the 1920’s Parisian museum, which will bring this extra light of Miami inside the stones.”
Similarly to other fashion brands that have made an architectural statement in the area including Dior, which has a boutique sheathed in curved white concrete panels, and Tom Ford, which is housed in a pleated concrete shop, Christian Louboutin too embarked on its project sustainable store. According to 212box founder Eric Clough, the materials used on both the exterior and interior are “straight out of nature’s library”.
The exterior uses Poplar tree bark. Each panel was harvested by hand to leave the tree intact, produced using 100% renewable solar-powered electricity, and are fully recyclable. The natural element continues inside the store with softer bark walls of white birch, gold birch, and pin cherry accents to enrich the luxury facade while acting as a complementary backdrop for the Louboutin shoes.
Others design features include the tiered skylight with a wavy profile that tops the central double-height space, as a reference to Paris’ Palace of the Golden Gate, or Musee des Colonies, and the I-shaped columns originally used for a 1970s Parisian office building.
Much like its collaboration with Germanier in producing shoes using leftover leather scraps, this flagship store speaks volumes of Louboutin’s dedicated efforts in preserving the environment. The brand’s effort to carve out a niche for a beautifully executed sustainable fashion is a crucial part for consumers to connect with the brand while shopping in its stores.
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