Farm Rio opens its first European store in London

Brazilian fashion and lifestyle brand Farm Rio has opened its first-ever standalone store in Europe on London’s Kings Road in Chelsea.

The store marks the brand’s 100th store worldwide and is the latest step in its global expansion strategy, following its first physical space opening in London at department store Liberty in 2022.

For its 86 Kings Road store, Farm Rio has worked with Brazilian architect and designer Marcelo Rosenbaum to create an immersive space that “evokes a poetic interpretation of Brazilian nature,” including hand-painted tropical wallpaper and buriti straw fitting rooms, as well as a 26-metre marquetry-crafted panel that sits at the heart of the store.

The unique artwork is described as “a love letter to the Brazilian landscape,” and aims to take visitors on a journey through the natural beauty of the country’s flora and fauna. It begins in Rio de Janeiro before travelling through the Pantanal region and ending in the Amazon rainforest, celebrating the unique native species that make up the Brazilian ecosystem.

Amazonian artist Maqueson Pereira da Silva designed the piece using the traditional marquetry technique, which took a month to create by hand. It combines delicate wood layers of various types to create realistic illustrations. All his artwork is environmentally conscious, using only leftover veneers from sustainable forest management plans.

Farm Rio continues global expansión in London

The store houses all of Farm Rio’s collection, including a specially curated capsule exclusive to London, featuring iconic designs that bear Farm Rio's signature prints. These limited-edition pieces and prints, including the ‘London Goes Bananas’ print, as an homage to the city, combining a classic checked pattern with tropical flowers and bananas, across a scarf, a silkscreen tote bag, and a T-shirt.

Commenting on the expansion, Kátia Barros, co-founder and creative director at Farm Rio, said in a statement: “Since our start in 1997 at an independent creators' market, we have grown into one of Brazil's most beloved lifestyle brands. However, having a store across the ocean in another major fashion capital is more than a significant achievement - it's a dream come true.

“This is an exciting new chapter for our brand with numerous reasons to celebrate, from the unique architectural design of the store to creating a fresh community that brings local creative people even closer. Our space is set to welcome many more special moments throughout 2024.”