Walk on the Wild Side

All eyes on Bal Harbour, the little seaside town that proved high fashion could thrive outside of Paris and New York. From the very beginning, founder Stanley Whitman did what no one else would dare to. At a time when open-air luxury retail was unheard of, Bal Harbour Shops set a new standard—combining visionary design, high fashion, and a destination-driven experience. The Shops is a tropical oasis of luxury retail set amongst the palms, where ponds are animated with beloved koi and turtles. Imagine forfeiting revenue-generating square-footage in the name of the client experience? Whitman placed the client first, and that remains his legacy.

By the 1980s, Bal Harbour Shops had become the highest-grossing retail center in the world, proving that high fashion could thrive outside New York and Paris. It redefined the luxury shopping experience, setting the blueprint for future retail destinations and remaining the ultimate symbol of aspirational elegance.

Over the decades, the Shops touted many firsts: the first Neiman Marcus store outside of Texas (1971), the first to house Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus under one roof (1976); when Gucci opened (1977) Bal Harbour Shops was its first “mall” location; and many more boundary-breaking moments.

But, perhaps the feather in the cap moment was in 1984 when, just two weeks after being presented at the Paris collections, 16 leading couture and ready to wear designers—including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin, Dior, Guy Laroche, Courrèges, and Kenzo—presented a fashion show at the inaugural Gala Bal Harbour. This was the first time ever that the collections were shown in the US ahead of being shown in New York. “Move Over New York: Couturiers from France Like Bal Harbour” declared the Wall Street Journal, while another headline declared “Bal Harbour Shops had pulled off one of the biggest coups of the year.”

For more on the history of Bal Harbour Shops click the link in bio.