Farm Rio Opens Los Angeles Pop-up Stores
Brazilian brand Farm Rio, which has seen increased demand for its happy resort lifestyle clothing during the pandemic, is expanding its retail footprint in Southern California.
This week, the brand is opening two pop-up stores: one at The Grove shopping center and one on buzzy Abbot Kinney in the beach-y Venice neighborhood.
Brazilian architect Marcelo Rosenbaum transformed the spaces into tropical oases, inspired by flea market booths, a reference to the brand’s history. (Farm Rio was born in 1997 at indie fashion market Babilonia Feira Hype, and has grown to include 75 stores across Brazil and two in the U.S.)
The pop-ups are filled with artisanal furnishings and other accessories selected to create an immersive experience. Open July 11 to Aug. 10, the Grove location is a glass box in the center court, which has been decorated with jungle flowers and palms, and has a coconut cart serving drinks outside. The Venice location, open through November, features a sidewalk mural made for selfies, and is located next door to Adidas Originals, which has been a longtime Farm Rio collaborator.
“Our slogan is ‘dressing in happiness,’ and that mood is fitting with the moment.…We had a great first quarter and we’re getting ready for a great summer,” said Fabio Barreto, chief executive officer of Farm Rio Global, sharing that the brand’s sales grew 135 percent compared to the first quarter of 2020. “We’ve been having great momentum in the U.S. for a while,” he said, referencing the brand’s growing social media presence, new flagships in SoHo and Miami, and strengthening relationships with Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and other department stores.
“California has always been one of our biggest markets, and our plan was to expand there last year, but with COVID-19 we postponed,” he said. “These two pop-ups are a hint of the flagship we want to open next spring around Melrose Avenue.”
