If there’s one thing that Pharrell Williams will do, it is to provide artists with a platform to showcase their work.
According to VIBE, on Wednesday (Oct. 19), the 49-year-old philanthropist announced the opening of the Billionaire Boys Club (BBC) ICECREAM flagship store in the art district in Wynwood, Miami. The store of the luxury streetwear brand — founded by Williams and NIGO in 2005 — will also function as a canvas for local and global artists.
“We wanted to create an immersive space where our community and BBC family could come in and experience our world,” Williams said. “Miami is at the mecca of fashion and culture, and it felt right to have our flagship store there right in the heart of the art district.
He added, “We’ve been planning to do this for a while. We had to make sure it was the right time and that we could have the artists and collaborators we love and admire to come and work with us on building out this space, and we’re grateful it’s finally happening. The goal is to create an experience. We didn’t want a store where you come in, buy clothes and leave. [Instead], the flagship store serves as a space where art, culture, fashion, and streetwear come together to immerse the public into our world so that when they leave the space, they’ll feel like they experienced something and are better for it.”
New York-based Snarkitecture designed the 5,000-square-foot marketplace with interactive products and art installations. The company used materials such as recycled plastics, glass, wood panels, and other aesthetics to draw inspiration from the Everglades National Park for Wynwood’s new retail shop. The shop will carry “exclusive collaborative clothing” and other brands, including Human Made, Comme des Garçons, Bamford, Krink, Humanrace, and more.
The store will open on Thursday (Oct. 20) and is located at 2545 NW 3rd Avenue, operating from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sundays.