Carolina K Lands in Miami: A Flagship Built on Heritage, Handiwork, and Heineken Bottles
On a breezy Thursday evening, a crowd gathers at the corner of NE Second Avenue and 43rd Street in Miami's Design District. The cream-colored building is lined with plants and patio seating. Beautifully tanned guests spill out of the store and congregate on the sidewalk. They're celebrating the grand opening of the new Carolina K flagship store-a space that feels less like a retail outpost and more like a tropical living room.
Inside, designer and founder Carolina Kleinman emerges from the back, floating toward a nearby couch where familiar faces await. Her pink paisley-print kaftan moves like a cape around her petite frame. Before she takes a seat, she exhales and drops her hands to her sides, appearing almost goddess-like. The group seated on the couch applauds her arrival.
For Kleinman, this moment has been years in the making. Born in Argentina into a family with deep roots in textiles, she launched the Carolina K brand in 2005 after years of traveling the world. It was, she says, almost destiny.
“This is what I love to do—developing collections or a store,” Kleinman tells New Times during a Zoom call a week after the opening.
A Store Built on Sustainability
When designing the space, Kleinman had a clear vision: use only vintage or recyclable materials, in keeping with the brand's sustainability mission. Most of the furniture was sourced from local vintage and second-hand shops. Her favorite piece? A centerpiece table made from recycled glass.
“It looks like malachite stone,” she says. “It’s green, with a round green top—all made from recycled Heineken bottles.”
The store is designed to feel like an escape. Wicker furniture fills the space, and a large palm tree mural by local artist Diego Luchetta covers the back wall. It's welcoming—like a dear friend's living room or a rental house in the Florida Keys.
More Than Clothing
While Carolina K is known for its designer clothing, the flagship offers a broader glimpse into Kleinman's world. Shoppers will find jewelry, handbags, plates, home decor, and a new line of custom wallpaper featured throughout the store.
“My idea was to be able to showcase our homewear and wallpapers—the Carolina K lifestyle,” Kleinman explains. “The lifestyle of the brand is the brand.”
She also plans to use the space to spotlight local talent. Currently on display are sculpture works by Beatriz Chachamovits, an artist who shares Kleinman's passion for ocean preservation. “She made those special vases and pieces specifically for the store opening,” Kleinman says. “My idea is to offer the space for the community—to interesting people with a unique point of view.”
20 Years of Artisan Craftsmanship
The flagship opening coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Carolina K brand. While a dress may cost upwards of $500, the brand's true mission lies in preserving heritage and supporting Latin American artisans.
“I started this brand to preserve heritage and support artisans throughout Latin America,” Kleinman says, settling deeper into her chair. “For the first 13 years of the brand, everything was entirely made by hand. There wasn't a single piece that wasn't handmade.”
When developing a new collection, Kleinman immerses herself in the communities she works with, living alongside the artisans in places like Mexico and Peru. “Every collection has been a true reflection of my lifestyle,” she says.
Kleinman moved to Miami in 2016 to work with Faena and has been based in the city ever since, opening her own studio in Little River in 2021. Now, with a flagship in the Design District, she's bringing her ethos of slow fashion, community, and cultural preservation to a wider audience.
“It's been an amazing journey where I get to support all these different people and families,” she says, pushing back her thick-framed glasses. “We're going to keep empowering women and artists around the world.”
Guadalupe Dorey
Leading the editorial, social media, and video strategy and operations for Brazil's top women's lifestyle magazine. Editor at DFashionMagazine.com, ParisModaMagazine.com and LatinoFashionMagazine.com