Cult Gaia Miami Flagship by Sugarhouse

Los Angeles-based ready-to-wear and accessories label Cult Gaia has opened its doors in Miami’s Design District. Conceived by Jess and Jonathan Nahon of Sugarhouse – the duo behind Cult Gaia’s New York store – in collaboration with the label’s founder, Jasmin Larian Hekmat, the design is an homage to Hekmat’s Persian heritage and the principles that shape her creative output.

The store has a powerful street presence; not only does the axial, chapel-like volume exist as a foil to the district’s linear vernacular, but the facade is decorated with a mural composed of nearly 2,000 tiles hand painted by South African artist Michael Chandler. Inspired by Henri Rousseau’s paintings The Dream and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the tree’s branches are animated by stylised vegetation, birds, mythical creatures and pomegranates – the fruit a nod to Hekmat’s grandfather, who grew them in his garden. The entire composition has been realised in shades of blue, much like a Persian mosque adorned in lapis lazuli hues. Decorative and embellished, it’s tempered nicely by the form’s sharp A-shaped frame and minimalist approach to architectural ornament.

“This piece not only celebrates my mother’s unwavering support and inspiration but also stands as a beacon of matriarchy and womanhood, which continually fuels the creative essence of Cult Gaia,” says Hekmat.

Before stepping inside, visitors are greeted by the words: ‘May all the doors of the world always be open to you’, a phrase inspired by Hekmat’s grandmother that embodies Cult Gaia’s ethos of empowerment and imagination. Beyond this, the store unfolds across three volumes in a wave of creamy hues and textural finishes. Limestone and travertine appear throughout; first, as a geometric floor inlay that subtly demarcates the spaces, and second, as monolithic blocks piled up in a checkerboard formation encasing the changing rooms. Unlacquered brass rods trace the perimeter, and organic-shaped wall mirrors by New Vernacular Studio bring definition to the balanced palette.

The veritable focal point, however, is the almost four-metre-high concrete sculpture created by Hekmat’s mother, artist Angela Larian. Sitting beneath an expansive circular skylight, the striking female nude is a fitting gesture that grounds the arrival sequence. “This piece not only celebrates my mother’s unwavering support and inspiration but also stands as a beacon of matriarchy and womanhood, which continually fuels the creative essence of Cult Gaia,” says Hekmat.

Before stepping inside, visitors are greeted by the words: ‘May all the doors of the world always be open to you’, a phrase inspired by Hekmat’s grandmother that embodies Cult Gaia’s ethos of empowerment and imagination.

Deeper into the space, a second oculus floods the rear with light and a banyan tree stretches through the void. Integrated into a sofa designed by Brandi Howe, the banyan’s green tendrils reach out overhead, recalling the store’s facade and enlivening the interior. Mostly, it encourages Cult Gaia devotees to rest a while under its leafy canopy and bask in the elevating spirit of this place.

Architecture and interior design by Sugarhouse. Build and joinery by M&C Contractors. Stone by ABC Stone. Tiles by Clay Imports. Artwork by Michael Chandler and Angela Larian.