Step Inside KREWE’s Luxe New Global Headquarters in New Orleans
The New Orleans–based eyewear brand KREWE—a chic favorite with Hollywood celebs—transforms a worn warehouse in the Lower Garden District into the ultimate professional compound.
In 2013, Stirling Barrett made a bold move: instead of buying a house with the money he’d saved for the down payment, he used it as seed money to start KREWE, a stylish eyewear brand. Since its inception, the brand has become hugely popular with celebrities everywhere, from Meghan Markle to Beyoncé to Gigi Hadid, who reportedly owns at least seven pairs.
For Barrett and the brand, New Orleans has always provided design inspiration, whether that be for the frames, like the St. Louis Classic, which draws on cast-iron balconies in the French Quarter, or their newest creation, the company headquarters, which was fashioned from a former food storage warehouse and includes a stylish outdoor courtyard and design studio.
"The Northern-most-Caribbean-city vibe is alive and well in the flora and fauna that you can find in all of our spaces," says Barrett. "Our interiors are full of life and light: lush plants, a mixture of textures, and as always, big windows." Let’s take a tour.
KREWE Headquarters
An ombre door opens into SUN_DAYS, a members-driven weekend courtyard, designed by in-house KREWE designers and LeBlanc + Smith.
Courtesy of KREWE
In-house KREWE designers paired up with Olivia Erwin Interiors to refashion the empty warehouse into a suitable headquarters for the growing company. The goal was to "create an adaptable space that was light-filled and revolved around the sun, just like the brand," says KREWE. To that end, an open floor plan spills out into a sunny, pool-filled courtyard, which functions as a testing ground for new shade designs, as well as a social club.
Many of the cabanas and banquettes were designed in-house, with additional furnishings from CB2, HAY, and Design Within Reach.
Courtesy of KREWE
The SUN_DAYS courtyard space was designed with LeBlanc + Smith, a hospitality group, and is aimed to be used by locals, rather than tourists. "We, along with our partners at LeBlanc + Smith, believed we could create a community space where the creative individuals we find ourselves inspired by in New Orleans can come together around a heated or chilled pool, wellness class, sauna, maybe even just a happy hour," says KREWE. "We wanted to create a space that was open; that pushed you towards connecting and interacting with new people."
"In a city that’s surrounded by high-water and in the high 90s for most of the year, a pool is not just a luxury—it’s a necessity," says KREWE. When SUN_DAYS is closed to the public, it functions as a much-appreciated aspect of the company headquarters.
Courtesy of KREWE
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HAY Don’t Leave Me Side Table
Copenhagen-based industrial designer Thomas Bentzen believes that everything he creates should engage and create curiosity, be functional and meet human needs while in use. In other words, this is a designer who thinks beyond the obvious. A perfect example of his approach is the lightweight, portable Don’t Leave Me Side Table (2007) for Danish design collective HAY. Also known as the DLM Table, it features a handle for easy carrying from room to room and a tripod base for excellent stability. Made in China.
ShopHAY Palissade Dining Armchair
For the Danish design company HAY, brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec created the Palissade Collection (2015). Designed in color and form to integrate effortlessly with its surroundings, this collection stands out for its combination of visual simplicity and core strength. Elegant without being fragile and strong without being bulky, the Palissade Outdoor Dining Armchair is a sleek seat at the dining table. Made in China.
ShopInside the headquarters, the brand partnered with Poppin for most of the workstations and Hem in Copenhagen, pairing those pieces with vintage finds that the founder liked.
Courtesy of KREWE
"It’s more of a minimalist aesthetic than us trying to create something precious," says KREWE. "We want our team to get messy in here — it’s built to function."
Courtesy of KREWE
In the kitchen, the designers combined concrete floors with marble counters and cabinets painted in Farrow & Ball’s "Breakfast Room Green." The neon sign reads "Holsum Cafeteria," which used to be located on Canal Street and was "an iconic place for meetings and connecting when Canal St. was the commercial corridor of the city," says the brand. The sign was a gift from Barrett’s father.
Courtesy of KREWE
The kitchen in the 1020 Studio, a design studio at the back of the headquarters, has Carrara marble counters and terrazzo tile similar to the green terrazzo found in the company’s store on Magazine Street.
Courtesy of KREWE
The 1818 Magazine Street Store and Apartment
KREWE and Stirling Barrett worked with Goodwood New Orleans and interior designer Nicole Cota on the 1818 Magazine Street store interiors. It features a continuous, green terrazzo bar bisecting the light-filled space, as well as custom-framed mirrors and cypress cabinetry.
Courtesy of KREWE
Just a few blocks away from the headquarters is the 1818 Magazine Street KREWE store, located in a historic building built in the early 1800s. Above the store sits a gallery apartment, with interiors designed by KREWE and Olivia Erwin Interiors.
The apartment can be used for hosting friends of the brand, dinner parties, or offsite retreats and marks another step in the brand’s evolution. "As KREWE aspires to be and continues to grow into a lifestyle brand, we believe that our brand is going to revolve around physical spaces rather than making more products," they say.
In the entrance and stairway, Farrow & Ball’s "Setting Plaster" joins green-hued "Cuban Heritage" tile from Avente Tile, and the pendant is the Signal Globe from Workstead.
Courtesy of KREWE
In the living room, a vintage Milo Baughman sectional was upholstered in a lush pink-toned fabric and paired with a custom black powder-coated coffee table from Olivia Erwin Interiors. The dining table is the walnut Together Table, designed by Studioilse for De La Espada, and the kitchen backsplash is pink marble.
Courtesy of KREWE
Custom fluted cabinets from Goodwood are painted dark green and combined with a custom brass island with walnut casework.
Courtesy of KREWE
A wood and beech mid-century modern armchair designed by Jindrich Halabala sits in a corner of the living room.
Courtesy of KREWE
Step-through windows lead to wraparound gallery balconies, creating good indoor-outdoor flow and lots of natural light, which appeals to the brand’s purpose and aesthetic.
Courtesy of KREWE
Outdoor furniture from HAY sits on the wraparound balcony.
Courtesy of KREWE
In the library, a custom sofa from Olivia Erwin Interiors utilizes paprika-colored velvet for the cushions and automotive paint for the base. The wall color is "Dakota Shadow" from Benjamin Moore and the table lamp is the Atollo Table Lamp from Design Within Reach.
Courtesy of KREWE
In the bedroom, the Nordic II Bed from Unison Home sidles up to the "Spindle" bedside table by Ethnicraft, with a rug from West Elm. The paint color is "Winter Orchard" from Benjamin Moore.
Courtesy of KREWE
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Ethnicraft Spindle Bedside Table
Part of the spinning wheel inspired collection, the Spindle Bedside Table by Ethnicraft provides a unique touch to any bedroom style. The bedside table is offered in a variety of wooden finishes, while also providing the user with a glass table top that can be easily cleaned. Crafted out of either oak or walnut wood with a rustic and modern feel, this bedside table will definitely find a place in any home.
ShopEthnicraft Nordic II Bed With Slats
Named is designed as it was crafted, the Nordic II bed by Ethnicraft is just that. Its Scandinavian essence finds warmth in the wood tone structure, without losing the modern cleanliness of hard edges and elegant minimalism. Like a Viking ship, the Nordic II Bed practically floats on the air due to its narrow sled legs, while remaining remarkably down to earth in design. Ethnicraft has been designing organic, modern, and ageless furnishing from solid wood and constructing quality wood designs that will last for years on end. Ethnicraft carries versatile and functional pieces that will coordinate with many styles, at the same time each piece of solid wood is hardwearing and matures gracefully over the course of time. A distinguished and sustainable material, Ethnicraft’s strong wood is derived from thoroughly maintained forests. Photo Courtesy of
ShopThe adjoining bath is painted in Farrow & Ball’s "Green Smoke."
Courtesy of KREWE
Ethnicraft Spindle Bedside Table
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Project Credits:
Architecture (for the gallery apartment): Bell Butler Architects (@bell_butler)
Builder: Regal
Interior Design: Olivia Erwin Interiors
Cabinetry Design/Installation (for the gallery apartment and store): GoodWood
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