Miami Beach's Historic Preservation Board voted 6-0 to approve Vivienne Westwood's flagship boutique at 736 Collins Avenue, clearing the British fashion house to move into a 1921 building that has sat largely dormant for years. The approval includes three building variances for the historic structure, most notably a green light for an illuminated pink sign measuring 284 square feet — more than seven times the city's standard 40-square-foot limit.
A Sign Bigger Than the Rules Allow
As reported by the Miami Herald, board member Randy Hollingsworth cautioned that granting such an oversized sign could set a troubling precedent, warning it could be like opening the floodgates for other retailers seeking similar exceptions. Daniel Gabay, who represents Vivienne Westwood in the permitting process, countered that the pink sign is essential to the brand experience, telling the board that customers want some form of photo opportunity with it. The Miami Herald's report was produced with assistance from a proprietary artificial-intelligence tool and reviewed and edited by its journalists.
The London-based luxury house purchased the historic building in September 2024 for $6.05 million from Atlanta-based investor Jamestown LP, according to Commercial Observer. The deal, brokered by Metro 1 on Westwood's behalf and InHouse Commercial for the seller, closed at less than half the $12.5 million Jamestown paid to acquire the property from local developer Scott Robins back in November 2013, per The Real Deal.
From Guess Store to Punk Fashion Landmark
The storefront's recent history reflects South Beach's shifting retail fortunes. Before sitting vacant ahead of Westwood's purchase, the space previously housed a Guess apparel store and later the Artechouse digital art gallery, the same Real Deal report notes. Jamestown renovated the building during its eleven years of ownership before putting it on the market.
Once complete, the boutique will anchor a stretch of Collins Avenue recently vacated by Victoria's Secret, Guess and Banana Republic, per the Miami Herald's reporting. Michael Belush said the store could serve as a catalyst for the area, a sentiment that echoes the broader hope among South Beach property owners that a marquee fashion name might reverse years of storefront turnover.
Inside the Three-Story Flagship
The approved plans call for a 4,356-square-foot ground-floor shop featuring Florida limestone cladding, polished brass details and a sculpture of the brand's signature orb. The upper floors will house offices and the label's bridal business, while customers waiting outside will be escorted inside rather than queuing at the door. Permit filings reviewed by Commercial Observer specify that the top floor will include a private bridal showroom opening onto an outdoor roof deck, with the ground floor containing three fitting rooms and two storage areas, and the second floor set aside for executive offices and meeting rooms.
No opening date has been announced for the boutique. It will become Vivienne Westwood's fourth U.S. brick-and-mortar flagship, joining existing stores on East 55th Street in New York City, Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles and in Honolulu, according to Tatler Asia. Vivienne Westwood remains an independent global fashion house majority-owned by the late designer's family and creative director Andreas Kronthaler, unlike many competitors folded into conglomerates such as LVMH or Kering, Commercial Observer reports.
Preservation Rules and a Bigger Bet on South Beach
Because 736 Collins Avenue is classified as a contributing structure within the Miami Beach Architectural District, any exterior alterations or signage require municipal historic preservation board approval, a designation meant to protect the area's architectural character. The Miami Design Preservation League formally submitted strong support for the project ahead of the vote, praising the design team's adaptive reuse plan for respecting the building's Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival heritage.
Collins Avenue once hosted major luxury boutiques including Versace, Hugo Boss and Barneys during the 1990s and 2000s before upscale retailers largely decamped for the Bal Harbour Shops and the Miami Design District, according to Commercial Observer. In the wake of Westwood's purchase, brokers assembled a six-building portfolio along Collins Avenue between 6th and 8th Streets, listing it for $50 million in hopes of luring other major fashion brands into the district's vacant retail spaces, per The Real Deal. Whether Westwood's arrival becomes the spark that draws those brands back, or South Beach's storefronts remain a harder sell than its nightlife and hotels, is a question local brokers are still watching play out.
