Max Mara has relocated its Palm Beach store to 206 Worth Avenue. The 1,500-square-foot space offers a larger floor plan and windows, as well as greater visibility from its proximity to a high-traffic corner.
“It’s busy down there,” said Cristian Notari, chief executive officer of Max Mara U.S., who didn’t think twice about shuttering the original location, its first to open in Florida in 1993, when the lease ended. “We went dark in July until the new store was ready on Sept. 30. But it definitely was the right decision since we believe in the market.”
Though Palm Beach isn’t a flagship like the Miami Design District, it carries all the core collections tweaked for the climate and lifestyle, including camel coats and cashmere knits in periwinkle blue and soft pink to wear with white jeans. It’s also the first time that runway pieces are available here.
“Prior to the refurbishment, you wouldn’t have found them,” said U.S. retail director Maria Giulia Maramotti, of the more fashion-forward direction. “I guess if there’s one takeaway, it’s that we’ve been here a long time, and we’re bringing a freshness to our image and product.”
The selection of accessories, which she estimated account for 10 percent of merchandise here, has increased by 25 percent. The new store is one of the last Max Mara units to carry Whitney bags in black, white and burgundy calf leather, and Hollywood bags in pony skin and embossed leather.
“Our Palm Beach client — a loyal, seasonal Northeasterner — differs from Miami’s international tourists,” Notari said. “Palm Beach may not do the same volume as our larger stores, but it ranks in our top 10 in the U.S. regarding sales per square foot.”