Launch of Faena Bazaar In Miami’s Faena District Comes Into Focus

The retail format mixes stand-alone and multibrand shops, an art gallery, café and pop-ups.

Two years after a temporary Faena Bazaar bowed and operated for the duration of Art Basel Miami 2016, the long-awaited permanent version is slated to open in December.

Alan Faena, cofounder of Faena District in mid-Miami, has partnered with Maris Collective, a global retailer specializing in destination retail at upscale resorts. Faena Bazaar will consist of a mix of brands and experiences shown in both stand-alone shops and multibrand spaces, with a focus on emerging talent and popular international labels.

LeeAnn Sauter, chief executive officer and founder of Maris Collective, cited Roopa, Maison Alma, Rianna + Nina, Brock Collection and Brock Denim, Adriana Iglesias, Adeam, Delpozo footwear, La Double J and Mercedes Salazar’s jewelry, as examples of brands at Faena Bazaar. Elder Statesman created an exclusive capsule that emanates Los Angeles cool.

Faena Bazaar’s four-level building was designed by Rem Koolhaas’ OMA and Shohei Shigematsu, partner and director of the New York office, and lead architect on the project. Completed in November 2016, space in the building was used for a moving images installation and rented out for events such as the Museum of Ice Cream.

Prior to the December opening, Faena Bazaar’s space may be utilized for temporary pop-up shops. Beginning July

11, women’s contemporary trade show Coterie in partnership with Maris Collective will transform the Faena Bazaar space into an immersive shopping concept with a mix of resortwear and beauty brands. The eight-day pop-up will combine technology, a shop-all concept, visual installations and collections, refreshed daily with new merchandise and activations.

“What we’re launching in December is the actual experience developed by Alan Faena for Faena Bazaar, which will be permanent,” said a spokeswoman. “Alan and LeeAnn have been working on this concept for nearly two years. December 2018 will be the launch of Faena Bazaar as it was originally conceived.”

A main gallery on the first floor will display rotating exhibitions. “We’re making a café on the ground floor for people to enjoy,” Alan Faena said. The second floor is designed to be open and flexible, while the third will house luxury ready-to-wear for men and women, and jewelry concepts. The fourth floor, which features an outdoor terrace, will be used for events and pop-up shops.

Faena originally teamed up with Miami fashion consultant Kelly Framel for the pop-up shops of the earlier Bazaar incarnation. “The Faena Bazaar concept didn’t change. After the initial pop-up with

Kelly, a series of events that took place,” the spokeswoman said, referring to the Museum of Ice Cream. “The building was always designed to be fluid to some degree. It’s fair to say that Alan wanted to take time to ensure it reflected his vision, and other opportunities came along in the process.”

“I’m looking at every floor as a compound with art and experiences for clients,” Sauter said. “The building will close for two weeks every year. During those two weeks, we’ll shift the entire building. It could be that a designer does a new interpretation of their brand. We’ll never have a display that lasts for more than a year. Prices will range from $90 for a T-shirt to easily north of $50,000 for fine jewelry.”

Sauter said Faena Bazaar will be “all encompassing. It will have concept stores, high end art and sculpture, home products, a hair salon, a shop-in-shop for new wine launches, casual men’s wear and street wear. We’ll have lectures from designers and partners, and a nightclub vibe in the center courtyard. Will occupy four floors. Fourth floor in indoor outdoor with a lounge area outside. This is our largest foot print.”

Sauter develops customized retail environments at five-star hotels and resorts, operating 40 luxury fashion and lifestyle resort stores in Hawaii, Mexico and Anguilla, with a floating store launching in Bora Bora. There’s a Maris Collective store at the Four Seasons, Houston, and Sauter opened with a partner, lifestyle boutique Market at Highland Park Village in Dallas. “We’re helping relaunch Fred Segal in the U.S.,” she said.

“We’ve been working for a long time to find the right partner and the right person. We started working with LeeAnn and our plan is to curate the product so we’ll attract people who want to see something special. Eventually, we’ll have our own [apparel] collection, too. It will be great. I started in the fashion world,” said Faena, who launched the label Via Vai in the late Eighties. “We always had a vision of the Bazaar being a key element of Faena District. We have the ambition of bringing the best products in the world to Miami.”