Farm Rio Goes to Brooklyn to Open Its 5th U.S. Store
Farm Rio has moved into Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn store, which opens Monday at 65 North 6th Street in Williamsburg, marks the brand’s fifth unit in the U.S. Other U.S. stores are in New York City’s SoHo, Miami and two in Los Angeles.
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The 1,083-square-foot space showcases 150 styles from Farm Rio’s fall 2024 collection. The store offers an array of apparel including knitwear, puffers and fleece coats. It will also sell limited-edition items such as a scarf, silk-screen tote bags, T-shirt and notebook, all featuring two exclusive prints centered around the theme “Brooklyn High on Nature.”
Retail prices range from $45 to $420.
Brazilian architect Renata Gaia led the design project in collaboration with the Farm Rio team. Rich textures and handcrafted details blend with the work of various artists alongside a palette of greens and earthy tones, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a rainforest.
The space features two columns encircled with custom-made ceramic work by Brazilian indigenous artist, curator and activist Kássia Borges. Each ring, crafted using traditional Karaja clay techniques, tells a story that addresses themes of femininity, resistance and healing.
The store will feature a 3D foliage installation by Brazilian multiartist Gringo Cardia that will be on display in early 2025. Cardia, a longtime collaborator and friend of the brand, has created other Farm Rio experiences, such as the immersive Rinascente Duomo pop-up in Milan last year.
The brand also collaborated with Brazilian artist Cecilia Abeid to showcase organic-shaped ceramics. The fitting rooms feature curtains with delicate watercolor details by French artist Dominique Jardy and artistic wooden chairs from the Ilha do Ferro community.
Farm Rio is committed to sustainable initiatives. The brand has reached the milestone of 1.5 million trees donated to all six biomes in Brazil, furthering the meaning of High on Nature.
“Five years ago, Farm Rio carefully chose SoHo for the first store outside of Brazil, and now they’re excited to expand in a culturally rich, diverse and vibrant area like Brooklyn. They are bringing the best of Brazilian culture, creativity and nature-inspired fashion to this dynamic community,” said Katia Barros, Farm Rio’s founder and creative director.
Over the past few years, Farm Rio has observed significant growth in their customer base in Brooklyn, so opening a store there allows them to connect more deeply with a community that already has a strong affinity to the brand, said Barros.
According to Barros, Farm Rio expects to see the most action in the outerwear category, particularly their colorful puffers and fleece items. Additionally, bold prints have been top sellers, with customers gravitating toward vibrant, eye-catching designs, something that stands out compared to more subdued preferences seen in other markets, such as Europe, she said.
Describing their target customer, Barros said Farm Rio doesn’t usually categorize their customers by demographics, but by their lifestyle. “The Farm Rio customer is youthful in spirit with a relaxed approach to fashion. They value authenticity and have a vibrant, colorful personality that embodies the Carioca way of life, which is central to the brand,” said Barros.
Farm Rio plans to unveil a new store in Washington, D.C. in November, followed by a location on the Upper East Side in New York in February.
The brand has also expanded internationally with stores in Italy, Great Britain, France, Greece, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Brazil.
Farm Rio was founded in 1997 by Barros and Marcello Bastos in a small open-air marketplace booth in Rio de Janeiro. At the time, Barros had no training in fashion. She earned her degree in accounting and worked as an auditor. The line is now carried in the U.S. by retailers such as Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nuuly and Shopbop.
Today, the brand is still helmed by Barros and Bastos, chief executive officer, although the company is owned by Azzas 2154 Group, Latin America’s largest fashion retail group.
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