Luar Opens Its First Pop-Up Shop—“I Want to Share This World With Everyone”

What’s the recipe for a Luar pop-up? Intention, spectacle, and above all—attitude. “I wanted to create a cute New York moment, to give the kids an opportunity to come in and try on things, and to get their little summer looks together,” Raul Lopez explains a few days before the brand’s pop-up shop opened at the fashion-favorite WSA building.

Inside the building’s ruby-red carpeted space, a landscape of exquisitely Luar-sized propositions unfolds. There’s a saturated purple bedroom, with bags in multiple colors and sizes adorning wall shelving, jewelry that glints from bedside tables alongside a bank of mirrors, and a meticulously styled Luar look that lays elegantly across violet sheets. It’s more altar than arrangement.

Photo: Kya George

The offering includes Luar’s signature Ana bags (with special pricing!), runway looks from past seasons, evergreen ready-to-wear, and a limited-edition tank top with the cheeky phrase: “I talk shit about you in Spanish.” The brand’s first selection of shoes are also available for purchase: a luxe flat Oxford and an Oxford-inspired mule on a bell heel, both embellished with an opulent silver “L” insignia.

At the opening, artist and author Kim Hastreiter stopped by to support the designer and try on a variety of looks (alongside shopping buddy and pooch Polyester).

“I’m just really impressed with everything he’s done. To watch him come up, it’s clear that all of New York loves him,” she says, before slipping into a dramatically unfurling black overcoat with razor-sharp tailoring—a piece she left with, naturally.

“I love what’s happening!,” Lopez says, taking it all in. “The girls are taking pictures, shopping, and bringing it on.”

Luar’s Raul Lopez

Photo: Kya George

Beaujangless hosted the opening night reception.

Photo: Kya George

DJs Kristy Baez, Rae Sada, and Elvin Tavarez—all friends of the brand—spun sets that ranged from percussive reggaetón to hypnotic house edits, weaving a sonic journey that carried guests between try-on sessions and buzzy conversation. Cara Cara Orange and Sweet Pineapple cocktails from Two Robbers were passed between shoppers while the afternoon’s chatter turned into the evening’s revelry.

Outside the pop-up, music echoed onto the street and guests milled about to compare notes on the day’s findings. “Luar always knows how to make the ambiance pop,” says Waldo Baez, a customer who snagged a pair of sunglasses. “I loved getting a sense of the brand in the real world.”

Inside the Luar pop-up at 161 Water Street.

Photo: Kya George

As the night rolled on, attendees had reached a consensus; the true draw was not just the product or the alluring price structure, but the transportive thrill of stepping into Luar’s distinctive universe of glamour. Could this signal a move for the brand toward a more permanent retail presence?