Gucci – and 30 other stores and restaurants – head to the Design District

A rendering of the new Gucci store

A new wave of luxury stores and restaurants is headed to Miami's Design District, including Gucci, Alexander Wang, Warby Parker and Estefan Kitchen, a Cuban concept led by Gloria and Emilio Estefan.

Gucci will build a flagship 7,000-square-foot store in the Design District, joining the already open Hermès, Tom Ford, Louis Vuitton, Cartier and others. Christian Louboutin will expand and open a flagship store next spring, according to Design District developer Dacra.

French fashion house Eres, retailer Cos, and Ahana Yoga have signed leases. Estefan Kitchen will open in the Palm Court, and Warby Parker will open its second Miami store about 1.5 miles away from its Wynwood location, which opened last year. Previously announced are three restaurants by renowned French chef and restaurateur Joël Robuchon.

The neighborhood currently spans an 18-block area north of I-195, between North Miami Avenue and Northeast Fourth Court. More than 60 stores and restaurants currently take up 700,000 square feet of retail space. The next phase will add more than 250,000 square feet of retail space, a 120-room hotel and a new 900-car parking structure, Dacra said.

The Stefano Ricci building, at 120 Northeast 39th Street, recently hit the market. Thor Equities owns that property.

Here's a full list of stores opening in the Design District by the end of next year.

• Fashion and accessories: Alexander Wang, Cos, Christian Louboutin, Eres, Gucci, MM6, Alice & Olivia, Diane von Furstenberg, Dolce & Gabbana, Isabel Marant, Joseph, Loro Piana, Rag & Bone, Sevan Biçakçi, Stefano Ricci, Tod's, Tory Burch, Van Cleef & Arpels, Warby Parker, Saint Laurent


• Restaurants: Estefan Kitchen, The Smile, ABC Kitchen, and Le Bar de Joël Robuchon, La Boutique de Joël Robuchon and La Terrace de Joël Robuchon


• Other: Aesop, Creed, Ahana Yoga, Citco

The announcement brings the Design District to 30 percent filled, according to Women's Wear Daily, which first reported the news. Dacra CEO Craig Robins told the magazine that the area is still growing.

“We're in a market that's generally down. The Russians, Brazilians and the dollar have impacted things. Miami is way down,” he told WWD. “On average, we're up. Some of our stores are struggling and some are doing well.” – Katherine Kallergis