Worth Avenue Guide
Palm Beach, Florida
Worth Avenue, Palm Beach.
Lat. 26.7004 | Long. -80.0388
Worth Avenue remains a symbol of Palm Beach's affluent lifestyle. Its unique blend of historical charm, Mediterranean-inspired architecture, and world-class luxury shopping makes it one of the most prestigious streets in the country. It represents both the glamour of old Palm Beach and the modern, sophisticated culture of the island.
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Worth Avenue, located in Palm Beach, Florida, is one of the most famous shopping streets in the United States, known for its luxury boutiques, galleries, and high-end retail stores. Its history dates back to the early 20th century and is closely tied to the development of Palm Beach as an exclusive winter resort destination for the wealthy elite. Here's a brief overview of its history:
Early Beginnings (1900s - 1920s)
Henry Flagler's Vision: Worth Avenue owes its origins to Henry Flagler, a key figure in the development of South Florida. In the late 19th century, Flagler, a wealthy oil tycoon and co-founder of Standard Oil, extended the Florida East Coast Railway to Palm Beach, transforming the area into a winter retreat for America's rich and famous. His construction of the Royal Poinciana Hotel (1894) and the Palm Beach Inn (later renamed The Breakers) made Palm Beach a fashionable destination.
Establishment of Worth Avenue: The actual establishment of Worth Avenue as a shopping district is attributed to the 1910s and 1920s. Addison Mizner, a flamboyant architect and socialite, played a significant role in shaping the street’s early character. He designed Mediterranean Revival-style buildings in Palm Beach, including some of the first shops on Worth Avenue.
Addison Mizner and the Mediterranean Revival Influence
Mizner’s Influence: Mizner’s architectural style, which drew from Mediterranean, Spanish, and Venetian influences, became synonymous with the elegance of Palm Beach. In 1923, Mizner built the Everglades Club, an exclusive social club, which further established Palm Beach’s reputation for luxury and attracted affluent patrons.
Via Mizner and Via Parigi: Mizner also built charming vias (courtyards and alleyways) off Worth Avenue, such as Via Mizner and Via Parigi, which added to the area’s European atmosphere and housed boutique shops, galleries, and restaurants. His architectural touches defined Worth Avenue’s aesthetic and charm.
Growth and Glamour (1930s - 1950s)
Post-Depression Boom: Despite the economic challenges of the Great Depression, Worth Avenue continued to flourish, with upscale stores and galleries catering to wealthy residents and visitors. By the mid-20th century, the avenue was solidified as one of the most prestigious shopping streets in the U.S.
Social Hub: Palm Beach became known for hosting celebrities, aristocrats, and industrial magnates, who frequented Worth Avenue. Figures like the Kennedy family, the Vanderbilts, and the Rockefellers were often spotted shopping or dining along the street. The avenue became synonymous with wealth, exclusivity, and high society.
Modern Era (1960s - Present)
Luxury Retail Growth: Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, Worth Avenue attracted global luxury brands, including Chanel, Hermès, Gucci, Tiffany & Co., and Cartier. It became a magnet for elite international shoppers and tourists.
Revitalization: In 2010, Worth Avenue underwent a major $15.8 million renovation to enhance the pedestrian experience. The project improved landscaping, widened sidewalks, and restored the iconic clock tower at the foot of the avenue near the Atlantic Ocean.
Cultural and Economic Significance
Art and Fashion: Worth Avenue has become known not just for fashion but also for art galleries, antique shops, and fine dining. It remains a cultural hub in Palm Beach.
Tourism: It continues to be a key tourist destination for visitors to Palm Beach, who are drawn by its history, luxury shopping, and Mediterranean charm.
Worth Avenue Today
Today, Worth Avenue remains a symbol of Palm Beach's affluent lifestyle. Its unique blend of historical charm, Mediterranean-inspired architecture, and world-class luxury shopping makes it one of the most prestigious streets in the country. It represents both the glamour of old Palm Beach and the modern, sophisticated culture of the island.
WORTH AVE.
Lilly's story began in the 1950s when her desire for love and adventure prompted a move to Palm Beach, Florida. She immediately embraced a bohemian, barefoot lifestyle filled with lots of friends and endless parties. Sounds fabulous, right? It turns out life wasn't always as sunny as it seemed, so she sought help and the doctor's orders were quite surprising. Lilly was told she needed a renewed sense of purpose. That's when this spirited founder took a fortuitous leap and literally turned lemons into lemonade by starting a juice stand to occupy her time.
A Life in Lilly…
Bice Ristorante
Esplanade at 150 Worth is the ultimate luxury retail experience. Located just steps from the turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and at the top of legendary Worth Avenue, guests will enjoy shopping amid some of the world’s most sought-after luxury brands. More than a shopping destination – it’s a lifestyle.
Café Boulud
AERIN is a global luxury lifestyle brand inspired by the signature style of its founder, Aerin Lauder. Based on the premise that living beautifully should be effortless, the brand develops curated collections in the worlds of beauty, fashion accessories, and home décor. With a passion for art, travel, fashion, and design, Aerin’s own lifestyle serves as a focal point of inspiration for the brand. Classic, but always with a modern point of view, every piece is created to make life more beautiful, with a sense of ease and refinement.
Trianon Seaman Schepps
Their clothes are not simply for women; they are about women. Their contradictions, their routines, the way they fling a cape over a jacket over a knit, make a statement out of a simple dress; their longing for leather seductiveness, their love for uniforms, their strength, their sensuality, their duality. It is all there, expressed in clothes.
They thought about women, their multifaceted life, and garments for living in. Arranged as mood, need, activity change. Transformation. Hybridization. A coat can be a gilet and jacket. A trench becomes a dress and a skirt. A skirt is indeed a pant.
Breakers Hotel
Tideline Palm Beach Ocean Resort and Spa is on Palm Beach’s most beautiful sandy beach right next door to the Four Seasons Hotel. This ocean-front hotel features 134 brand-new luxury guest rooms and suites with Fili D’oro bedding. The entire hotel was renovated at the end of 2023.
Versace
Casa Branca collections are the thread of an ongoing conversation— tracing historical references, classical concepts, and the continuation of our own brand’s story. As we explore centuries of pattern, techniques, and textures, we expand and innovate for a new school of decoration and living.
The Art of Living is indeed an Art. Inventing a universe, taking pleasure in decorating a house, setting a table, sharing the good and the beautiful, cultivating the happiness of each moment. Since 1830, Christofle creates with elegance and know-how, an exceptional table art, refined jewelry and home accessories.
Journey through 185 years of remarkable milestones. Meet Charles Lewis Tiffany, the man who started it all, and discover how icons of the House, from awe-inspiring gemstones like the Tiffany Diamond to the first Blue Book and Blue Box, came to be.
Ala von Auersperg is a designer, philanthropist, mother, grandmother, and founder of Ala von Auersperg, the clothing and accessories brand celebrating women of all ages and sizes with effortlessly elegant silhouettes. A longtime painter with a penchant for travel and deep love of nature, Ala launched the eponymous label in 2017 with the goal of dressing women in styles that exude confidence and comfort.
Following the tradition of the great fashion Houses, Bonpoint has established a creation and
production process where stylists, designers, pattern makers, and cutters work
in close collaboration.
Bonpoint styling turns happiness into an everyday lifestyle.
Since 1975, Bonpoint has remained faithful to its exceptional savoir-faire and core values: the precision of beauty, a passion for quality, and meticulous attention to details and finishes.
Bonpoint is symbolized by two little cherries. This charming, instantly recognizable logo
evokes the origin of the fashion house.
Legend has it that all the family secrets were whispered at La Cerisaie, the founders' home set among the cherry trees in Aix en Provence.
Nestled in Via Mizner on Worth Avenue, Renato's impresses in every way making it the perfect destination for any special occasion.
Welcome to Renato's, Palm Beach's premier destination for gourmet cuisine and impeccable service. Accented by soft lighting and elegant décor, Renato's aims to please and succeeds in doing so. The professional staff caters to its guests' every need making sure not to cut corners and only offering the finest, highest quality ingredients.
The menu is vast and eclectic showcasing an impressive selection of Continental cuisine with Italian Flair.
Their story began in Havana, Cuba, where Ike Behar's father, Samuel, was a respected tailor who owned a shop called La Confianza (the Confidence). From a young age, the store was something of a second home for Ike, who spent countless hours observing his father's work, while learning as much as possible about the trade. Before long, Ike was stitching fabric beside his father, and, by age seventeen, was experimenting with his own designs and producing hand-crafted custom shirts to compliment his father's luxury suits.
In 1952, at the age of twenty, Ike immigrated to New York City in pursuit of the American Dream. With a mere fifty dollars to his name, Ike was compelled to take his first job at a small tailor shop on a trial basis. But within a week, the owner had recognized Ike's talent and offered him a full-time position. From this point on, Ike devoted his life to the craft of shirt making.
Florie’s | Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach
A restaurant and bar in partnership with Mauro Colagreco, his first in the United States. The chef behind three-Michelin starred Mirazur in Menton, France, Florie's is a nod to Florida and Chef Mauro’s passion for gardening. On the iconic island of Palm Beach, Florie’s delivers the spirit of the Mediterranean through live fire cooking and earth-conscious offerings inspired by nature.
An American Original Since 1977
J.McLaughlin was founded in 1977 by brothers Jay and Kevin with a mission to create a new American sportswear brand that offers two key components: classic clothes with current relevance and a retail environment with a neighborhood feel.
Pink Paradise Cafe
Pink Paradise Café has embraced and perfected a premium, European coffee experience with classic espresso drinks and pastries. Dine in on salads, sandwiches, and soups at their intimate café seating on The Colony’s historic South County Road steps—or, select from their “grab and go” menu, which features breakfast and lunch items (plus, an assortment of gifts and snacks).
The Brazilian Court Palm Beach
Welcome to Palm Beach's Most Private and Secluded Hotel.
Elegant Spanish Colonial architecture, lush tropical courtyards and fountains and warm ocean breezes frame the exclusive Brazilian Court Hotel. A historic landmark infused throughout with Roaring 1920s glamour and boutique intimacy, their private, 80-room enclave is the classic Palm Beach luxury getaway — bringing together stunning, high-style accommodations and impeccable service for an unforgettable experience.
Known as the “shoemaker to the stars,” for over a century Salvatore Ferragamo has been synonymous with the glamour of Italian fashion. The house continues to flourish into a new era as modern collections are focused on its signature innovation and style, featuring sculptural design and striking tailoring.
Lunch Service. Take Out and Delivery.
G/FORE is where modern design, youthful energy, & golf's rich traditions intersect.
Born in Los Angeles but bred with a global perspective, G/FORE was conceptualized with a passion for modern design combined with a love of golf. Inspired by art, architecture, and high fashion, G/FORE is distinguished by their attention to detail, sophisticated ease, whimsical nature, and youthful energy. They consistently strive to make a powerful and colorful impact on their favorite game. Their intent is to disrupt the industry, while honoring the sport and its rich traditions.
Brioni
Carolina Herrera is a New York-based fashion house recognized for creating beautifully crafted collections synonymous with fearless and fabulous style infused with bold elegance. Founded in 1981 by Carolina Herrera, the brand’s in-house atelier blends the traditions of haute couture and craftsmanship with the wearability and ease known to American fashion. Since 2018, Creative Director Wes Gordon has continued to excite and thrill in his modern era of Herrera, with his passion for color and bold silhouettes.
The Carolina Herrera Palm Beach Boutique is a 2,200 square foot shopping destination housing the brand’s luxury women’s ready-to-wear collection, featuring beauty and accessories including handbags, shoes and jewelry.
Chanel
The ultimate expression of Loro Piana’s effortless sophistication, the Maison’s Icons combine impeccable savoir-faire with refined functionality and timeless style.
