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Step Inside KREWE’s Luxe New Global Headquarters in New OrleansView 17 Photos

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.
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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. 

An ombre door opens into SUN_DAYS, a members-driven weekend courtyard, designed by in-house KREWE designers and LeBlanc + Smith. 

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.

Many of the cabanas and banquettes were designed in-house, with additional furnishings from CB2, HAY, and Design Within Reach.

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.

"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.

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Inside 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.

Inside 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.

"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."

"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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Custom fluted cabinets from Goodwood are painted dark green and combined with a custom brass island with walnut casework.

Custom fluted cabinets from Goodwood are painted dark green and combined with a custom brass island with walnut casework.

A wood and beech mid-century modern armchair designed by Jindrich Halabala sits in a corner of the living room.

A wood and beech mid-century modern armchair designed by Jindrich Halabala sits in a corner of the living room.

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.

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.

Outdoor furniture from HAY sits on the wraparound balcony.

Outdoor furniture from HAY sits on the wraparound balcony.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Ethnicraft Nordic II Bed With Slats
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The adjoining bath is painted in Farrow & Ball’s "Green Smoke."

The adjoining bath is painted in Farrow & Ball’s "Green Smoke."

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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

Melissa Dalton
Dwell Contributor
Melissa Dalton is a freelance writer in Portland, Oregon, who has been writing for Dwell since 2017. Read more of her work about design and architecture at melissadalton.net.

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