Vogue100, Candice Swanepoel, and Kimberly Drew Kicked Off Art Basel Miami With a Luncheon Dedicated to Local Artists

While many global artists, collectsors, and gallerists flock to Miami for the highly anticipated Art Basel week, the local talent drives the city’s creative community all year round. To kick off the week’s festivities, Miami resident and creative director Candice Swanepoel, curator Kimberly Drew, and Vogue's Elise Taylor gathered an intimate group of friends for a luncheon with Vogue100.

In honor of Tropic of C’s latest collectsion and the dynamic relationship between fashion and art, Swanepoel tapped Drew to spotlight a few of her favorite Miami-based artists, including Joel Gaítan, Susan Kim Alvarez, Jessy Nite, Eliiot and Erick Jiménez. And to represent her native South Africa, Swanepoel incorporating two glass sculptural works from artist Louis Chanu.

Hosted at Jason Wright’s private residence, each artist showcased a piece exclusively for notable guests, including Laurence Milstein, Martha Graeff, Barbara Guggenheim, Alan Patricof, Hannah Traore, Sofia Tcherassi, Jacqueline Rabôt, François Sarkozy, Zia Lotfi, and Laís Ribeiro, to name a few.

Entrepreneur Abbie McLaughlin, dressed in a yellow Fendi jumpsuit, chatted with philanthropist Laura Sachs. Hassan Pierre, founder of Maison de Mode, laughed with tech founder Elena Sinok as Earnie, the homeowner’s delightful sheepdog, ran around the patio. Despite the midday Miami heat, a cool breeze flowed off the water.

Inside, Tequila Don Julio served craft cocktails from a sleek bar. The menu featured a delicious Por Amor Margarita made with pressed beet, hibiscus, and Tequila Don Julio Blanco, the celebration of the agave in its purest form. For a bubbly option, the mixologists crafted a refreshing Rosado Spritz stirred with sparkling grapefruit soda and Tequila Don Julio Rosado, an exquisite reposado that’s aged for at least four months in Ruby Port wine casks from the Douro wine region of Portugal.

Out on the lush lawn, two wood tables dressed in floral arrangements filled with Birds of Paradise, anthuriums, and monstera set the sophisticated yet tropical scene. Designed by local flower boutique Paloma Blooms, the wild flora mimicked the colorful plant-based menu prepared by Chef Anthony Garcia Montero. Once the sun stretched across the sky and (finally!) some clouds relieved us from the heat, it was time for lunch.

Wearing a two-piece mesh set from her latest Tropic of C collectsion, Swanepoel rose to say a few kind words. “I love to gather people from different creative backgrounds and places,” Swanepoel said. “Today, we can celebrate art and its power to inspire each other.”

Looking across the table, Swanepoel introduced Drew, who stood to address the crowd. “This year will mark my tenth Art Basel; if I have learned anything, it’s that Miami isn’t just a backdrop for art and commerce,” she began. “Miami and its culture are to be respected and uplifted in everything we do this week. There’s a vitality and spirit in Miami that I’m honored to witness every December.”

Before the first course arrived, Drew introduced O’Miami poet Cherry Pickman to share a few of her original and timely poems with the group. The reading served as a blessing for the communal meal to come and the future generations of Miami creatives who will continue to cultivate the community.

The menu highlighted seasonal produce, from the fresh arugula salad paired with beets to the squash blossoms dressed in a savory verde sauce. For the main course, a seared sticky harissa cauliflower steak stole the show. Of course, an olive oil cake doused in sweet raspberries offered the ideal sweet treat.

It’s hard to imagine a more grounding start to the whirlwind of creative chaos that is Art Basel Miami. Thankfully, the luncheon provided the perfect pause before the endless lineup of shows and parties on the horizon.