Palm Beach à la Moda (Operandi): How the Luxury Retailer Celebrated its Brazilian Court Hotel Pop-Up

A two-and-a-half hour flight from April’s cold, rainy New York streets, paradise was found. Tucked in between Palm Beach’s elaborate, ornate mansions, The Brazilian Court Hotel has been a discrete retreat since the 1920s. The unassuming yellow facade is completely transporting once inside, becoming a tropical oasis with glamorous Spanish colonial architecture overlooking sprawling courtyards of lush foliage. And this week, the oasis was transformed into a hotspot for fashion’s finest and Palm Beach’s social scene, courtesy of Moda Operandi.

The luxury online retailer, co-founded and helmed by Vogue alum Lauren Santo Domingo, took over the iconic hotel, hosting five days of curated designer events, as well as an immersive pop-up shop at the property’s Casa by Brazilian Court boutique.

From a facial masterclass and breakfast with founder and CEO of Skin Design London Fatma Shaheen, to styling sessions at the shop with Moda’s Chief Merchant April Hennig and designer Trish Wescoat Pound of TWP, every event was meticulously modish and tailored to Palm Beach perfection.

One of the standouts from the week was eponymous designer Johanna Ortiz’s lunch and salon-style presentation on Thursday. Party-goers were ushered to their seats on Cafe Boulud’s terrace where tables were set with tropical chic linens and tableware from Johanna Ortiz Home, and the space was finished with a bespoke surfboard by Australia-based Nusa Indah Surfboards in a custom Johanna Ortiz print, and coconuts, amaranth, and other tropical touches by Fern and Douglass Florals. “It always amuses and inspires me to be surrounded by brilliant, beautifully sophisticated women,” Ortiz says. “The Palm Beach charm, The Brazilian Court, and Moda Operandi: a perfect match to celebrate Johanna Ortiz’s ‘joie de vivre’!”

The lunch was followed by a shopping session of the brand’s Spring / Summer and Pre-Fall collections in the Casa Boutique and a cocktail party later that evening. Lily’s Pool Lounge was transformed into ‘Johanna’s el Bar’ for the duration of the takeover, cocktails crafted from LALO Tequila and Avaline wine. Guests donned Johanna Ortiz’s signature silhouettes, a palette of rich nature-hued colors and intricate patterns inspired by Ortiz’s homeland of Colombia, blending into the tropical scenery. Exceptional jewels from the Brazilian label Sauer added an elegant glimmer to many of the looks. Lauren Santo Domingo tells Vogue, “Moda has been a fan of Johanna Ortiz since I first discovered her brand and launched it in Trunkshow [on Moda] in 2015. When we started planning our Palm Beach residency, I couldn’t think of a better designer for the market to bring on as our marquee brand; plus, she knows how to start a party.”

Friday morning opened with an intimate breakfast hosted by Moda Operandi’s Contributing Editor, Olympia of Greece in celebration of Agua by Agua Bendita, served atop Maison Madison tableware. The family-style spread of Colombian cuisine nodded to the brand’s heritage, as founders Mariana Hinestroza and Catalina Álvarez toasted to the 30 guests, “We both share a deep belief in the incredible things happening across Latin America, especially when we stay connected to our culture and heritage. We’re deeply grateful to be on this journey together, where we can share our story, the craftsmanship of our artisans, and the love for what we do.”

The rest of the day was a luxurious breeze, consisting of a yacht ride onboard The Brazilian Court’s “house boat” BC ONE, and a cocktail party at night, co-hosted by Hennig and The Stax’s Victoria Lampley. After a flight back to the April showers of the East Coast, we can only hope that this becomes an annual tradition between Moda Operandi andModa Operandi transformed Palm Beach’s historic Brazilian Court Hotel into a five-day fête of fashion, beauty, and tropical elegance, spotlighting Latin American designers and drawing a glamorous crowd. The Brazilian Court Hotel.