Retrofête photo
Audio By Carbonatix
Miami’s shopping scene is always booming, but in recent years, world-famous brands have taken a keen interest in South Florida. Earlier this month, Nude Project opened a pop-up in the Design District. Kim Kardashian’s Skims also appears to be moving into Sawgrass Mills, and a brick-and-mortar Bombas store — one of the first in the country — is headed to Boca.
Now, a fashion brand with A-list celebrity clientele, including Taylor Swift and Jennifer Lopez, is putting down roots in the 305. Retrofête, whose Miami-ready slogan is “welcome to the party,” has moved into the Design District.
The brand, which has a store in New York City, launched in 2018 with the intention of dressing women for special occasions at the forefront. Since then, you’ve likely seen your favorite celebrities wearing Retrofête on red carpets and in their sultry Instagram posts.
The brand skyrocketed to fame with its signature “Gabrielle” dress, a sequined mini robe-style garment that comes in just about every color imaginable. Swift, Lopez, and Paris Hilton have all rocked it, and Gwyneth Paltrow wore it to The Avengers: Infinity War premiere in 2018.
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“We didn’t know that this robe would be the biggest thing — a statement piece,” Ohad Seroya, the brand’s cofounder, tells New Times. The breakout moment came just one year after he and husband Aviad Klin created their fashion line.
Fashionistas like Beyoncé, Chrissy Teigen, and Gabrielle Union have also worn other styles from the brand. Alessandra Ambrosio sported one of their mini dresses on a yacht in Ibiza, and Sofia Vergara wore one of the brand’s sexy corset pantsuits at Swift’s Eras Tour.
So how did Retrofête come to call Miami home and open up a storefront in its second U.S. marketplace? The story goes back to 2020, when Seroya and Klin got stuck here during the pandemic.
“Nobody bought any going-out dresses, and I was on a rollercoaster,” says Seroya. “I said, ‘Okay, we’re going to do something new to express my creativity, cause I can’t be at home and doing nothing.'” He launched his namesake brand that year — a more casual, laid-back sister brand to Retrofête — which he calls “a Miami brand and my love to Miami.” Then, last summer, both brands got another boost after a successful pop-up at The Standard.
“It was so good that we had to open another room…All the VIP clients came, and we couldn’t [fit everyone], so we had to take my suite and put the clothing [in there],” he remembers. “You had the pop-up and the styling suite for a lot of clients.”
The experience cemented their desire to plant their flag here.
“Miami was such a big, big yes for us,” says Seroya. “It was a thing that we always wanted. I always looked for the opportunity. I really love Miami, and I really feel attached. I love the mix of cultures, and the city is just a beautiful place to be.”
Retrofête Miami Design District. Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at 115 NE 41st St., Miami; 786-605-9316; retrofete.com.
