In some ways, Miami has become fashion central, and one trend worth noting is how fashion and lifestyle merge there. Diesel is the latest fashion designer to move into the hot Miami condo market with Diesel Wynwood, 13 individually designed penthouses and maisonettes. All have one thing in common: They are “representing a vision of what modern life could really be.”
Diesel is far from alone — even in Miami. Fendi opened the Fendi Chateau in 2017, while Armani launched Residences by Armani/Casa and Missoni is in the building phase with Missoni Baia. While there is a cluster in this ultrahip U.S. city, it’s hardly an American-only trend; Armani and Versace have opened hotels in Dubai and Milan.
In some ways, the merger of fashion and furnishings make sense. Design is design, no matter the medium. But these brands have something else going for them: the ability to create an entire mood with the mention of their name. Licensing the name to help others reach these ultra-refined tastes is good business sense.
Diesel, though, seems to have a sense of humor about it all. It has designed 143 unique T-shirts — each featuring the floor plan of a specific unit. The shirt “sells” for the apartment’s listing price, with the apartment thrown in for “free.” (There are all sorts of legal disclaimers attached; one can only imagine the conversations between the marketers and the lawyers.) It’s a wink and a nod to the traditional line of business, one that is sure to be a conversation starter with those who can afford a $1.5 million shirt.