It’s that time of year again! Miami is being swarmed by art connoisseurs and cool hunters from New York (for the week, Miami is New York City’s 6th borough), London, Los Angeles, and beyond. Call it their annual pilgrimage to Art Basel Miami Beach and the many other art fairs (like Nada and Untitled) simultaneously taking place this week.
It's a week of art, officially. (Just one day into the fair, critics are buzzing about photographer Wolfgang Tillmans’s new works at David Zwirner, gallery 56 Henry’s Basel debut, and a sprawling showcase of Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with Frank Gehry.) But after the art comes the parties and the after-parties. Basel offers a dizzying amount of options for those looking to clink cocktail classes and dance on the beach till the early hours of the night. On the docket for this year? White Cube’s annual rager at Soho House Miami Beach, a Gagosian fete cohosted with Positano hotel Le Sirenuse, and a Mickelane Thomas party with Janelle Monae at the Miami Beach Edition. Fashion-wise, Dior, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Ssense x Marni, and Farfetch x Dolce & Gabbana have also joined in on the fun with parties of their own. It's a celebratory whirlwind all in the name of art; a roundup of the most fashionable fetes, below.
Friday
Donavan’s Yard Closed Out the Week With a Beach Party at Miami Beach Edition
On a stage built for the occasion, LA-based DJ collectsive Donavan’s Yard ended a nonstop week of art and after-parties with a dance party on the beach. Dubbed PLAY by American Express Platinum House Party, the event welcomed the likes of Lori Harvey, Chanel Iman, Aly Raisman, Yvonne Orji, Shantell Martin, and more, who were all excited to be ocean-side—with so many events on the docket, few take place at the beach and most who travel in for the art festival might not even get near it. Guests gathered on couches and lounge seating clustered together in the sand, toasting to yet another Basel by the beach.
Dolce & Gabbana Joined Forces With Farfetch For a Dance Party
It should come as no surprise that Dolce & Gabbana took over the most decadent venue on Miami Beach, the Faena Theater, to close out Art Basel Miami Beach. In partnership with Farfetch, Dolce welcomed a select group of guests—many of whom were dressed from head to toe in the Italian fashion house— to sip their cocktails and snack on pass hors d'oeuvres while bobbings their heads and dancing to DJ sets by Coco & Breezy and Channel Tres. Subsequently enjoying performances by Mette, the fashion-clad attendees included Victoria Monét, Isabela Grutman, Alton Mason, Lindsey Vonn, Selah Marley, Saint John, Jordyn Woods, Shaun Ross, and more. - Erin Michelle Newberg
Wednesday
Janelle Monáe Jumped In the Pool at a Mickalene Thomas Party
If any artist “won” the week, it would be Mickalene Thomas, who was at the center of many Art Basel Miami Beach celebrations. On Wednesday night, in partnership with Shop with Google and The Miami Beach Edition, Thomas brought out art world heavy hitters like Stephanie Horton, Frank Roberts, Isolde Brielmaier, Hank Willis Thomas, Kimberly Drew, Edvin Thompson, and more to fete her Shop with Google collectsion (the capsule is splashed with some of Thomas’ most-loved prints and motifs lifted from her own works). It all culminated with an electric performance by Janelle Monáe, who, in true pool-party spirit, leaped into the piscine as part of her performance—when in Miami Basel!
Cartier Showcased A Dazzling Interactive Exhibition
“Time Unlimited,” an exhibition by Cartier that story-tells and showcases the French Maison's exquisite timepieces, opened in Miami with a glitzy party. A few blocks away from Cartier’s Design District boutique and right next door to the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, the impressive pop-up sits. Three floors unfold with watches on display—from classic Tanks to the relaunched Baignoire styles. Plus, limited edition designs like the 150th anniversary Rectangulaire Incurvée wristwatch. Winding their way through the show (where everything glowed in Cartier-red and incredibly attentive staff wore crisp all-white looks) were Emma Chamberlain (in a Cartier Baignoire bangel), Kaytranada, Dwyane Wade, Diplo, Jeremy Pope, Leon Bridges, James Blake, and more. Even those attendees not dressed by the brand took the opportunity to drip in diamonds, Love bracelets, and Trinity rings. For everyone who missed the opening night, the exhibition is on view through December 22.
Ssense and Marni Teamed Up at Soho House’s Miami Pool House
To celebrate Ssense’s “Once Upon a Time at Marni” capsule collectsion (launching Monday, December 11), party people gathered for a late-night bash. The location? Miami Pool House, which is the latest Soho House outpost in Miami located on the Wynwood-Edgewater border. The easy pool-party vibes of the space proved the ideal setting for cool-cool etailer Ssense and the youthful yet storied fashion label of Marni. The guestlist was a mishmash of artists (of all varieties) and culture-makers: James Blake, Blake Abbie, Miles Greenberg, Jordyn Woods, SAINt JHN, Hannah Traore, The Clermont Twins, Sophia Roe, Selah Marley, Edvin Thompson, and more.
Venus Williams Hosted a Dinner with Pace Gallery
Venus Williams is not just a tennis champion; she's a well-known patron of the arts and, thus, the perfect person to host a dinner to celebrate Art Week and, more specifically, Pace Gallery's contributions to the fair. (At this year's Pace booth, you'll find contemporary artists like David Hockney and JR exhibited alongside masterworks by Alexander Calder and John Wesley.) At around 8 pm, guests gathered for a seated dinner at COTE—the Design District's buzzy steakhouse. Pace CEO Marc Glimcher and Pace president Samantha Rubell were among the guests, as were many artists represented by the gallery, like Hank Willis Thomas and Pace newcomer Alicja Kwade (both have pieces in the fair). It was a night where the worlds of art and sports connected—Venus's sister Serena Williams came out to support, as did former soccer player Michael Ballack.
Supermodels Gathered at PatBo’s Design District Opening
With music by Sofi Tukker playing throughout the elegantly designed, two-story pink-hued shop clad with a spiral staircase, it was rather difficult to navigate the event. And that was for a great reason, indeed. The utmost gorgeous crowd of influencers who were all decked out in Patricia Bonaldi’s colorful and flavorful garments showed up in the middle of the most important week in town that revolvess around art and culture to support the second capsule collectsion collaboration between Patricia and Miami local with a Global familiarity, Alessandra Ambrosio. Sipping on the finest Cincoro Tequila, the attendees included Becky G, Camila Coelho, Amanda Malone, Anggie Bryan, Bettina Anderson, Chelcie May, Christine Ferrari, Paula Chapman and Tyler Feetham of Natura Bisse. - Erin Michelle Newberg
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Tuesday
Hassan Pierre Celebrated Mickalene Thomas at Mr. Chow
On Tuesday evening, Hassan Pierre—the CEO and Co-founder of Maison De Mode—executed his annual Art Basel Miami Beach dinner, cohosted alongside Lola Ogunnaike and Shop with Google. This year, the honoree was the unmistakable Mickalene Thomas; dripping in Gucci, she smelled of a heavenly palo-santo fragrance by Costa Brazil (Francisco Costa was also present), which she had in the pocket of her studded suit. The evening, which celebrated Thomas’ brand-new garment collaboration with Shop with Google, commenced with an hour-long intimate cocktail reception on a hidden terrace followed by a family-style dinner in Mr. Chow’s marble-clad private room. Mr. Chow himself even made a surprise guest appearance rocking a floral Mickalene-designed hat, which was gifted to every attendee. After the first course, a conversation between Lola and Mickalene ensued, while James de Givenchy of TAFFIN, Nathalie Obadia of Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Dominique Lévy of Lévy, Gorvy Dayan, Vito Schnabel of Vito Schnabel Gallery and François and Olivier Sarközy dined. Karolina Kurkova, who rolled in fashionably late as she was enjoying an evening on Whitney Kronke’s mega-yacht, enhanced the evening alongside Stefano Toncchi, Barbara Becker, Luis Morais, Robert Verdi, Mckenzie Liautaud, Alexis Stoudemire, Aurora James and Isolde Brielmaier, the deputy director of the New Museum. - Erin Michelle Newberg
Gagosian Teamed Up With Le Sirenuse and Franco’s Bar
Franco's Bar, the famed alfresco bar in Positano’s Sirenuse hotel, popped up last night in Miami, courtesy of Gagosian. (Miami regulars might recall the Sirenuse's all-too-brief restaurant at the Four Seasons in Surfside.) To fete the week of art, they brought in their team of mixologists (headed by Valentino Longo) to serve classic Franco’s Bar cocktails with ceviche and tacos at the Freehand Hotel in South Beach. A giant disco ball hung suspended above the pool where partygoers like Chloe Wise, Brooke Wise, Nikolai Haas, and more commingled. - Lilah Ramzi
White Cube Gallery’s Annual Soho House Miami Beach Bash
Each year, White Cube hosts a dinner at Soho House Miami Beach on the eve of Art Basel Miami Beach. It's become a classic Basel bash (the event is in its 12th year) as it's stacked with artist attendees. Beneath a tent on the beach outside of Soho House, a seated dinner followed by an after-party unfolded. White Cube’s Jay Jopling and Courtney Willis Blair held court for artists like Ilana Savdie, Harland Miller, Naomi Beckwith, Dustin Yellin, Yvonne Force Villareal, and more. The night's highlight came after dinner when UK-based jazz quintet Ezra Collective (and winner of the 2023 Mercury Prize) serenaded the crowd. - LR
