WHAT WE LOVE: A treasure trove of unique and affordable vintage, Fly Boutique offers goods from designers such as Chanel, YSL, Gucci and Dior, to vintage mid-century modern furniture, lamps, and collectibles.
WHERE: Biscayne Boulevard in Miami’s trendy Mimo district, just north of the Design District and Wynwood.
WHO: Husband and wife partners, Maximiliano and Jean Marie De Bernardi.
THE SHOP
What year was Fly Boutique established? 1996 on Lincoln Road in South Beach.
Why did you chose the name Fly Boutique? Butterflies, Dragonflies and Fly meaning amazing.
Who designed the shop? We designed the Boutique together and are continuously making changes due to the daily addition of new merchandise. The eclectic charm grows organically in layers giving a natural organized chaotic vibe.
Where do you find the products you sell at Fly Boutique? We bring in new items everyday. On Tuesdays, we do consignment appointments where people can bring us the items they want us to sell for them. Everything we consider is inspected carefully and cleaned before it goes on the floor. The rest of the week I am out everyday sourcing for amazing unique pieces. And of course we also have a group of talented pickers that consistently supply us with our selection. We couldn’t do it without them or our consignors, as it is now so much more difficult to find the great quality items we look for.
Who are your customers? We have the most amazing customers, people that love vintage or simply love high end designer items for a much less price. The style of our customers vary, all looking for the perfect, unique and eclectic piece. We sell to all ages and styles ranging from classic and elegant to funky and bohemian. They are searching for unique pieces that they cannot find elsewhere.
How has the internet impacted your business? We are a brick and mortar shop and do not sell online. However the internet allows for us to be seen by so many more people and Instagram especially is an amazing platform for us to attract customers and to represent our business like no other way.
THE SHOPKEEPERS
Maximiliano and Jean Marie De Bernardi, shopkeepers at Fly Boutique
Who inspires you? My parents, the most amazing, loving and hardworking two people I know.
What inspires you? Having a business that we love and never get tired of. We are proud to be recycling the actual pieces as well as the styles and ideas of the past eras. This business inspires us and our customers to recycle, reduce and re-use.
Before I was a shopkeeper, I…. worked in NYC for designer Luca Orlandi for 3 years right out of college. Maximiliano studied Architecture and industrial design.
What motivated you to open a shop? The boutique was created from my love of finding great vintage pieces I knew that I could resell. I opened my first store with a few boxes of amazing things I had found in NYC and Chicago along with some jewelry my grandmother sent me. I had been working in NYC for designer Luca Orlandi and fell in love with mixing vintage with new.
Your favorite thing about owning an independent shop? Independence and the unlimited possibilities for expressing ourselves.
Your advice for anyone wanting to open a shop? Just go for it, I didn’t worry so much about having a business plan. I just did it.
If you weren’t a shopkeeper you would be..? We would be living on a small farm, growing our own organic garden and living half off the grid.
What is your perfect day off in Miami? We would sleep in late, then have an amazing coffee at Panther Coffee. Then go to the beach and have fun with our four kids. For lunch or dinner we would go out to one of our favorite organic restaurants, Boulevard Baes or Moon Thai Kitchen. We also love Spris for pizza and Amaro at Paraiso on the bay. With the kids, we enjoy hanging out at Miami Ironside, The Citadel food hall and shops as well as Brickell City Center for eating and shopping.
What are your favorite shops? The Rabbit Hole and House of Findings for vintage. Frangipani in Wynwood for fun finds.
Which Instagram accounts are you following at the moment?@madelynnfurlong @lopezjennylopez @midcenturyeverything @81gelb @ashevilletrails
ON THE FUTURE OF RETAIL
“We feel that it is relative to what you are selling. Vintage, for example, will always be relevant and is easy to sell online or in our case, in our boutique. In the boutique you can touch, feel, see, smell, inspect and have an amazing hands on shopping experience. Retail will always have a future.”
7235 Biscayne Boulevard
