Where Art Meets Luxury, LVMH Shapes the Next Chapter of Miami Design District

The Miami Design District as we know it today began with a meeting of minds.

In 2008, Michael Burke, then at Fendi and now chairman and CEO of LVMH Americas, was introduced to Miami entrepreneur and developer Craig Robins through Design Miami, the annual design fair Robins cofounded and which originally took shape in the district. Burke had made Fendi a fair sponsor in 2009, but the collaboration sparked something much bigger.

“We spent the week together,” Burke recalled during Miami Art Week on Tuesday afternoon. “And it turned out we had similar ideas.”

It was an unlikely moment to dream big; it was amid a recession.

“I’ll never forget,” he said of the time, through remarking that economic downturns also bring opportunity.

Together, they envisioned converting the underutilized neighborhood, once home to a scattering of furniture showrooms, into a hub for design, art and luxury retail.

By the end of 2010, the plan became real as a partnership with Robins’ Dacra, the Miami-based development company, and L Catterton Real Estate — established by Catterton, LVMH and Groupe Arnault. It’s now a 30-acre district spanning more than 40 buildings of retail, restaurants, galleries and hospitality.

The undertaking wasn’t easy. “If I knew how difficult it would be, I probably wouldn’t have attempted it,” Burke said with a smile.

But the plan worked.

In 2012, they opened Celine, Louis Vuitton and Dior, followed by Pucci and Berluti a year later. Today, LVMH counts 19 brands total in the Miami Design District. Along with Celine, Louis Vuitton, Louis Vuitton Men’s, Dior, Dior Homme, Pucci and Berluti, there’s Loro Piana, Fendi, Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, Hublot, Tag Heuer, Rimowa, Tiffany & Co., Loewe, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Sephora and Bulgari — the latter marking LVMH’s latest remodel.

Bulgari’s newly renovated 3,229-square-foot, two-story boutique blends Roman codes like travertine columns and fluted walls with Miami-specific design touches and a distinctive amber hue.

“Bulgari has always been at the forefront of what jewelry is going to be moving forward,” said Burke, pointing to an image of American-flag-adorned bracelets designed under Gianni Bulgari in the 1970s. “You didn’t put another country’s flag on your jewelry — one example,” he added, of the house’s willingness to challenge convention.

On the second level, another signature sits in the spotlight: a line showcasing ancient Roman and Greek coins, some dating to the second century B.C., according to boutique director Mario Vergel.

Still, the house’s most enduring icon remains “Serpenti,” the collection clients ask for most, said Vergel, who has been with Bulgari for more than 20 years.

“This is not a watch,” he said of a piece, demonstrating as the snake’s head popped open to reveal a mechanical watch hidden inside. “This is a bracelet that tells time.”

“Bulgari is one of the top brands in the world, top history, top legacy. As long as there’s that, everything else we can fix,” Burke said, noting that when LVMH evaluates a brand, a strong foundation is what matters most.

Just outside the store, a public artwork as part of Katie Stout’s sculptural “Gargantua’s Thumb” bench series highlights the Design District’s blend of retail and culture.

That focus continues with LVMH’s The Studio Miami, which returns to Palm Court this week as a five-day immersive gallery and conversation series spotlighting artists, entrepreneurs and LVMH leaders.

The energy mirrors the district’s continued growth. As the neighborhood evolves, its next major milestone is already underway: a new Dior store designed by Peter Marino, conceived as the next iteration of the house’s architectural DNA following recent flagships in New York and Los Angeles.

That growth is mirrored statewide, where LVMH’s presence has expanded into one of its strongest U.S. markets, after California and New York. Across Florida, LVMH employs more than 2,900 people in corporate, manufacturing and retail roles, with 133 boutiques and five regional headquarters, including Hublot Americas, LVMH Beauty Latin America, Parfums Christian Dior Latin America, Tag Heuer Americas and Tiffany & Co. South America. In Fort Lauderdale, Hublot operates its U.S. Client Service Center, repairing and authenticating timepieces for clients across North and Latin America.

Elsewhere, Louis Vuitton opened a new two-story boutique on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach in October, offering one of only two U.S. Louis Vuitton Home Collections. And throughout the year, LVMH’s presence has extended into major cultural moments, including Moët & Chandon and Tag Heuer at the F1 Miami Grand Prix.