Miami Art Basel brings the most coveted designers to the beach each year. From Emilio Pucci to Prada, Dior and more, fashion collides with the art scene in Miami each December, resulting in a flock of models, influencers, and editors coming and going to and from the highly-stylized, coveted guest-list-only festivities. From brunches to VIP receptions and special performances, design houses such as Prada, MaxMara and Fendi host and sponsor some of the noisiest(in a good way) parties and exhibits. Limited-edition merch is up for sale all throughout the week. Dior comes back with its third edition of “The Lady Dior Project”; you can snatch one at Basel this week–if you have 5k to spare. Certain exhibits will be open to the public at its respective store brands (Miami area) all month. Check out the events below.
LADY DIOR BAG PROJECT
Dior teamed up with 11 female artists to cement their individual artistic vision on the notorious Lady Dior bag. “The Lady Dior Bag Project” is now on its third edition–2018’s being the first all-female collab with artists Pae White, Isabelle Cornaro, Haruka Kojin, Lee Bul, Burçak Bingöl, Li Shurui, Olga de Amaral, Poppy Apfelbaum, Mickalene Thomas, Janaina Tschäpe and Morgane Tschiember.
The bags will launch worldwide on January 2019 and will also be available at Dior’s Miami Design District boutique at 162 NE 39th St. throughout Miami art week. The bags start around 5k each.
SAINT LAURENT
Running at the Design District store from Dec. 1 to 15, “Self 02” by Vanessa Beecroft represents “the freedom of self-expression without censorship, and conveys many different facets of the Saint Laurent attitude,” as well as provides commentary on “society while emphasizing the core values of Saint Laurent.”
PRADA MODE AT FREEHAND HOTEL MIAMI
Prada Mode is a three-day residency and a cultural gathering presenting guests with an art program at Freehand Miami, starting on December 4th and ending on the 6th– with a closing performance by the Black Monks of Mississippi. Performance by musical artist Elena Ayodele, in conjunction with National YoungArts Foundation, and conversations on identity in the tech age with Document Journal are also on schedule.
FENDI – 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY AT DESIGN MIAMI/ AND PEEKABOO BAG
Fendi is celebrating two 10-year milestones in Miami: the brand’s involvement in Design Miami/, and the anniversary of its Peekaboo bag. Artist Sabine Marcelis is collaborating with the design house for two special projects at Miami Basel: a podium that will hold the special 10th-anniversary Peekaboo bag designed by Venturini Fendi (which will be for sale in a limited-edition throughout the week), and “The Shapes of Water”: a project of 10 fountains invoking various symbols of the brand.
EMILIO PUCCI x HAIRSTYLIST NICHOLAS FRENCH
Renowned hairstylist Nicholas French turned to the Pucci archive to build upon Italian hairstylist Alba’s historic creations for the brand as part of its concept of the “Pucci Total Look” for Miami Art Basel. The PUCCI store in Miami will showcase looks from its resort 2019 collection– alongside French’s interpretations of signature Pucci hairstyles. The exhibit is open from Dec. 5 to 9.
MAX MARA x JUDY CHICAGO
MaxMara’s creative director designed a limited edition t-shirt based on Judy Chicago’s “Bigamy” car hood, done in Max Mara camel, navy and red to coincide with Chicago’s exhibition at the ICA Miami. The tee was designed in her honor and will be on sale throughout Miami Art Week.
LOEWE PRESENTS “CHANCE ENCOUNTERS IV”
Loewe and Jonathan Anderson will celebrate the opening of “Chance Encounters IV” at its Design District boutique on Dec. 4. Open through Jan. 31, the exhibition will feature works by Anne Low, Ian Godfrey and Andrea Büttner encompassing ceramics, textiles and woodcut prints.