DECEMBER 5 - 7
23 NE 41ST STREET
MIAMI DESIGN DISTRICT
BEACH LIKE A BOSS
Miami Art Week Miami Art Week
WHERE TO STAY, PLAY, GRAZE AND GAZE AT ART IN THE MAGIC CITY
The citywide convergence of art, design, and atmosphere that defines December in Miami.
Every December, Miami Beach becomes a stage where the worlds of art, design, and fashion intersect under sunlight and spotlights. This year, Art Basel Miami Beach returns the first week of December, marking its twenty-third edition and a clear step forward for the fair’s evolution. With 285 galleries from 44 countries and more than 40 first-time exhibitors, Basel 2025 feels both expansive and intimate— featuring legacy names while alive with new ideas.
For the first time, Art Basel introduces its global awards program, a new initiative celebrating artists, galleries, and curators shaping the cultural landscape today. The ceremony, set for December 4, is already one of the week’s most anticipated events—more than a gala, it’s a statement about where the art world is heading next. Inside the Convention Center, the works span every scale and medium, while beyond its walls, the city transforms into a living extension of the fair itself.
Across the street, Design Miami/ returns with its sleek fusion of collectible furniture and conceptual design, reinforcing Miami’s posi -
tion as a global hub for art and interiors. Along the shore, Untitled Art, SCOPE, and Context keep the momentum alive, offering discovery and experimentation that complement Basel’s precision. Meanwhile, ART Coral Gables, a new city-supported initiative, brings installations and pop-ups to galleries, hotels, and boutiques across the Gables—proof that “Art Week” has outgrown its beachside boundaries.
YoungArts continues to bridge the gap between emerging and established talent, transforming its landmark Biscayne Boulevard campus into a multidisciplinary showcase. Each Basel week, the organization spotlights next-generation artists, musicians, and performers with open studios and installations that remind us the future of art isn’t just collected—it’s created here, in real time.
This year also brings a wellness-driven counterpoint to the city’s creative buzz. The Wellness Oasis™ presented by Chase—created by 4B Advisory—joins forces with Reserve Padel for a two-day Art Week pop-up (December 2–3) at Reserve Miami Seaplane Base. Returning for its third year, the transformative platform offers ex -
LIV for a sold-out set—followed by John Summit the next night. Later in the week, The Surf Lodge × Palm Tree Club pop-up debuts, pairing Palm Tree Crew’s jet-set energy with The Surf Lodge’s Hamptons ease.
Beyond the decks, the city’s dining scene hums at the same frequency. In Brickell, Château ZZ’s is the place to be, serving elevated Mexican fare inside a restored historic residence that feels equal parts opulent and discreet. Upstairs, members retreat to a private lounge for mezcal cocktails and conversation—a hidden world above the buzz. And in Little River, Sunny’s Steakhouse remains a must—hangar steak and negronis beneath the banyan tree, the kind of place where the night stretches effortlessly.
This year, even the streets double as exhibition space. Lincoln Road’s Art and Retail Refresh unveils new large-scale public works alongside fashion and design flagships, inviting visitors to drift between outdoor installations and luxury storefronts. Over in the Design District, the 2025 Annual Design Commission marks its 10th year with artist Katie Stout’s Gargantua’s Thumb —a fantastical, interactive installation featuring sculptural furniture, suspended orbs, and a whimsical carousel. Presented with Design Miami Curatorial Lab, the work brings playful energy and color throughout the neighborhood during Art Week, blurring the line
Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 ULTIMATELY PROVES THAT THE CITY ITSELF IS MIAMI’S GREATEST
INSTALLATION
pert-led workshops, mindfulness sessions, and holistic activations centered on balance, self-care, and connection.
In Allapattah, the Rubell Museum remains one of the week’s buzziest intersections of art and dining, with LA transplant Jon & Vinny’s serving delicious meals. On the Beach, The Bass extends its hours with guided tours, artist talks, and a members’ reception—often paired with an elegant open-bar moment in its sculpture garden. Together, they frame the week’s rhythm: daylight discovery, twilight connection.
And then, the sound takes over. During Art Basel, Miami is ruled by the DJs. The unKommon Art Week series at Little River Studios has become the unofficial festival within the festival, with immersive, open-air sets from Tiësto, Rampa, and Hugel, blurring the lines between performance and spectacle. Black Coffee headlines a one-night takeover at the historic Downtown Courthouse before returning to
between design, art, and imagination.
By nightfall, the rhythm shifts. The fairs empty out, the temperature dips just slightly, and the city exhales into its second act—rooftop dinners, listening bars, art-driven parties, and spontaneous encounters that blur the line between collector and creator. It’s this sense of flow that defines Miami during Basel week: art as lifestyle, movement as expression. The air hums with conversation and possibility, from the soft glow of museum courtyards to the warehouse beats of Little River.
Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 ultimately proves that the city itself is Miami’s greatest installation—an ever-changing, light-soaked landscape where art doesn’t live in galleries alone but in architecture, street murals, conversations, and the glow that lingers long after the fairs close. Miami has become more than a backdrop for Basel; it’s part of the artwork.
DAY-TO-NIGHT
24 HOURS
Every December, Miami shifts into overdrive. The city buzzes with art fairs, pop-ups, and late nights that blur into early mornings. Collectors, creators, and the just-curious crowd every corner—from the Design District to South Beach—
9:30am
SUNSHINEWhere:COFFEE AT THE ESMÉ HOTEL Wear: ZANKOV
Coffee & Calm
Start early, before the city catches Sunshine Coffee at the Esmé Hotel on Española Way is all quiet corners and soft light—tiles warm from the morning sun, the soundtrack a mix of chatter and espresso machines. The Miami Iced (a double shot with milk and cold foam) is the order of choice, though the Baby Blue Vanilla Matcha Latte holds its own. The Caviar Toast—topped with crème fraîche and roe—feels like the right kind of excess. Across the bridge, Panther Coffee in Wynwood offers a louder start: industrial space, strong brews, and the familiar sound of creative plans being made mid-latte.
Morning Movement
Miami wakes up through motion. workout spot SoulCycle in South Beach still sets the pace—dark room, bright energy, and a rhythm that builds until everyone’s moving in sync. Nofar redefines control through precise reformer work and a focus on strength over show. And in Coral Gables, Anderson’s new studio brings her signature blend of sculpting, stamina, and choreography to the city. It’s a disciplined start to a week that rarely stays that way.
10:45am
Where: NOFAR Wear: LOEWE
1:00pmWhere: PURA VIDA Wear: CHRISTOPHERESBER
By noon, the city slows down just enough Faena’s Veranda remains one of the most elegant lunch scenes in town—ocean views, white linens, champagne flowing. It’s a nice break before getting into the art action. All around various locations of Pura Vida keep things bright and minimal—smoothies, salads, and a momentary sense of calm before the next round of shows. Get an iced matcha to go and head out for the
OF C HIC
chasing the next opening, dinner, or sunrise. From that first espresso at Esmé to the rooftop cocktails at Space, Basel week runs fast, loud, and never still.
3:30pm Where: ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH Wear: MCQUEEN
The Fairs
The center of gravity is always Ar t Basel Miami Beach, where collectors, curators, and guests move through aisles of blue-chip works and whispered deals at the Convention Center. Just across the street, Design Miami/ turns objects into ideas, drawing a crowd that talks as much about form as function. Nearby on the sand, SCOPE and Untitled Art fairs are more intimate but just as influential, with the hottest pieces on the market, while downtown CONTEXT is the place to be for serious collectors.
6:30pm
Where: SWEET LIBERTY Wear: SAINT LAURENT
Cocktail Hour
Evenings in Miami start quietly, then unfold. ZZ’s Club in the Design District leans into discretion—perfect lighting, perfect service, and a crowd that prefers to be noticed only by each other (it’s members-only, so find one to tag along with). Down in South Beach, Medium Cool brings a looser energy—part speakeasy, part fever dream—with DJs spinning until late and regulars who always seem to know one another. And just up the road, Sweet Liberty remains a classic for a reason: a laid-back anchor where world-class bartenders, easy conversation, and the occasional disco track remind you that not every Basel night needs to be a scene.
Dinner & Drift
In Sunset Harbour, Uchiko offers modern Japanese with quiet confidence, while Sunny’s Steakhouse in Little River keeps it grounded— open air, string lights, and a massive banyan tree at its center that feels like the heart of the space. Order the hangar steak—it’s the move. Across the bridge in Brickell, Amazónico brings its lush, rainforest glamour and Latin fusion energy to the Miami skyline—vibrant, sensual, and always buzzing. Down in Coral Gables, Daniel’s delivers refined Italian on Miracle Mile, where truffle pasta and a classic martini cart channel old-world indulgence with a modern Miami edge.
10:30pm Where: E11EVEN Wear: VERSACE 8:30pm Where: AMAZÓNICO Wear: FERRAGAMO
After Dark
The night never really ends here—it just changes tempo. E11EVEN remains the city’s signature spectacle, a 24hour current of lights, sound, and world-renowned artists including 50 Cent, Diplo and Marshmello from late night through until sunrise. Nearby, Club Space feels more communal than club-like— music, conversation, and the slow shift into daylight. By morning, the rooftop glows, the energy softens, and the city exhales. Make sure to bring sunglasses for that post-dawn ride home — it’s worth it. Basel is a blur, but this moment—the quiet after the chaos—always lands the same way: like art, still in motion.
WORDS CASEY BRENNAN FASHION EDITED BY SHELBY COMROE
HAUTE HOTEL
THE DELANO RISES AGAIN
After a five-year closure, the famed Art Deco hot spot will open next year with a new vibe
WORDS ROXANNE ROBINSON
The Miami Beach revival was alive and kicking, having risen from its crime-ridden, dilapidated state of the ’70s and ’80s, as the fashion photography scene—photographers, models, et al.—descended upon the sunny locale, boosting new nightclubs, restaurants, and renovated hotels in the ’90s. When the Delano reopened in 1995, led by Ian Schrager and designed by Philippe Starck, it ushered in the next level of design in the famous Art Deco district. Thirty years later, the barometer-setting hotel is in the final stages of a five-year renovation project and slated to reopen in March 2026. GRAZIA USA spoke with Ben Pundole, the chief brand officer and head of membership for the Delano Hotels, about what to expect from this landmark property.
“The Delano Miami Beach is an icon evolved. Before, it was known for design, nightlife, and its celebrity scene. Now we see the evolved aspirational guest and Miami, especially thanks to Art Basel, is less about those things,” Pundole said via Zoom of the hotel that originally opened in 1947.
The Lenny Kravitz-designed Florida Room nightclub, which replaced David Barton Gym, will now be The Source by Delano, focused on wellness. “We have a holistic spa featuring a 22-person sauna with treatments
such as scent or sound meditations, and a longevity suite offering IVs and NAD+ therapy,” he continued, adding, “I loved having a nightclub in my hotel; at 51, I couldn’t think of anything worse. I want to have fun, just elsewhere.”
The new incarnation will also feature a member’s club, art and culture programs, and brand staples such as the Rose Bar, named for founder Rob Schwartz’s wife, and Café Delano, inspired by Pundole’s time spent in Milan. “It will capture the elegance of Milanese café culture but with a Miami soul,” Pundole explained.
The hotel has five food and beverage facilities, including two upscale dining experiences that are still under wraps. Pundole hinted that one is a classic Paris name while the other hails from the Middle East.
Art Deco celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, and the Delano Miami Beach will revive its original details. “The Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board, in conjunction with the Miami Design Preservation League, is more adamant than in 1995. They mandated certain things we could or couldn’t do,” Pundole said.
Gone are the tall hedge with blue door, the lobby’s white columns and wooden floor, and the return of a mezzanine. “Art Deco buildings must now be visible from the street, the original octagonal columns and terrazzo floors have been restored, and we uncovered the footbridge across the lobby,” he continued.
The new look reads soft minimalism. “It’s not stark or harsh,” he noted. It utilizes warm, creamy tones
and curved furniture. Rooms will retain their original size due to the preservation zoning rules, but the 14th floor will now feature two new penthouses.
Delano has its sights beyond South Beach, too. “The sub-brands like Rose Bar, Café Delano, and Nothing Finer can move to new properties and a larger audience. London is currently being renovated and will open late 2026, and the Delano New York in Soho will begin its renovation soon,” the CBO said.
It’s a cosmopolitan evolution of the brand, fitting for the times. Pundole, who worked for Schrager for over 20 years after being introduced to him by Madonna, feels that reviving the Delano Hotel acknowledges the emotional connections people have to it.
“Ian’s Delano will always be the visionary who changed the direction of the industry. It was about emotion, escapism, and hedonism in the sunshine. The copycats that followed weren’t as good, so it needed to reinvent itself.”
Top: A rendering of the entrance of the new Delano Miami Beach.
Bottom Left: Ben Pundole of Delano Group
Bottom Right: A rendering of the new rooms at the Delano Miami Beach.
Visit the Akris Boutique at Bal Harbour Shops
S T ART OF Y L E
Curate your wardrobe like an exhibition — every look a statement, every day a show.
Dior dress, bra, ring, 800-929-DIOR.
This page: Dolce & Gabbana dress, dolcegabbana.com.
Opposite page: Fendi dress, fendi.com; Hermès leash, bandana, collar, hermes.com.
Ferragamo dress, mules, ferragamo.com.
This page: Giorgio Armani dress, armani.com. Opposite page: Sportmax coat, shirt, shorts, hat, us.sportmax.com.
ON THE COVER: Dsquared2 dress, dsquared2.com; Giuseppe Zanotti sandals, giuseppezanotti.com.
Photographer assistants: Juliano Araujo and Andrea Ceppi; Producer: Stefania Biliato; Producer assistants: Jenny Jia and Cecilia Salerni; Art Director: Adriano Trentacosti; Art Director assistant: Nicola Quadrio; Makeup: Lorenzo Zavatta; Hair: Maurizio Kulpherk; Set design: Michela Natella; Set design on set: Benedetta Maiani; Runner: Alessandro Pagani; Post production: Anna Tallone; Digital: Tommaso Bressan @Studio Santa Veronica; Talents: Rosalie Ndour @Independent, Sitong Liu @Why Not, Mali Karina @Elite.
MOST WANTED
Bright, bold, and Basel-bound—these are the pieces bringing the heat from the galleries to the beach.
EDITED BY SHELBY COMROE
BEACH CHARM Oséree Lumière Shell Bicolor bikini, $301, oseree.com. In between galleries and parties, cool off in this chic two-toned bikini.
INFLATABLE ICON
Saint Laurent Rive Droite Cassandre Float, $300, ysl.com. Pool party, but make it fashion.
BASEL BAG
Dries Van Noten Crisp Micro handbag, $710, driesvannoten.com. Woven in a sun-washed cotton blend and finished with a sculptural resin handle, the micro Crisp bag in Okra captures the effortless charm of a Miami moment
Miu Miu Miu Regard sunglasses, What’s Miami without the perfect pair of shades? The Miu Regard sunglasses bring a dose of retro sophistication to any look.
LACED UP
Christopher Esber Aluna Lace Draped top, $645, christopheresber.com. The perfect going-out top, found. Style it with a mini skirt and strappy sandals to dance the night away, or pair it with jeans for a demure dinner look
SWEPT UP
Christopher Esber Orion Swept Ruched mini skirt, $595,christopheresber.com. This ruched skirt is a true wardrobe workhorse when it comes to versatility. Pair it with the lace top for an effortless evening look, or dress it down during the day with a fitted tank and sleek sunglasses.
ART WALK NAYLA Dainty Mule, $325, naylanayla.com.
GARDEN WALK
Miami-based artist Naomi Fisher transforms South Florida gardens into surreal realms where plants take on lives of their own. Over a 25-year career spanning photography, painting, ceramics, public art, and performance, Fisher has explored the boundary between nature and artifice. Her early-2000s Backyards series features women photographed from behind, their bodies merging with surrounding vegetation as orchids or heliconias sprout from their bikini bottoms. More recent projects extend that dialogue between the organic and the constructed: Arecaceae (2018), a site-specific mirrored stainless-steel palm installation for Givenchy’s Miami Design District store, transformed a retail space into a reflective jungle, while Luncheon in the Grotto (2022), a mural painted for Charli XCX, fills a disco-ball-lit party room with a tropical rainforest inhabited by mermaids. Rootwork: The Botanically Inspired Art of Naomi Fisher at The Kampong National Tropical Garden in Coconut Grove—a mid-career retrospective on view through December 31— brings these branches of her multifaceted practice together, immersing visitors in uncanny environments where the familiar becomes extraordinary.
Rootwork reconnects Fisher’s art with the garden where her fascination with the plant kingdom first blossomed. Her father worked as a botanist at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, and she often accompanied her parents to parties at The Kampong, the former estate of David Fairchild, a horticultural explorer who helped introduce mangoes and avocados to the Sunshine State. “I have all these memories of going there as a kid and it just being this magical wonderland,” Fisher recalls. For Garden Director Dr. Brian Sidoti, Fisher’s show is deeply grounded in the institution’s history and mission. “The Kampong’s arts programming highlights the intersection of conservation, community, and contemporary art, transforming the garden into a living space for creative dialogue,” he says. “I’ve known Naomi’s family for many years, so it’s especially meaningful to share her work here.”
THE SECRET GARDEN
Miami’s lush tropical landscape comes alive in multimedia artist Naomi Fisher’s solo show at The Kampong, a hidden gem in Coconut Grove.
WORDS ALISON S. COHN
Fisher’s practice dances between meticulous botanical detail and playful performance. “I’ve been looking back on my middle school sketchbooks, and they alternate between orchids and hibiscus showing
every stamen and pistil, and girls in ballet slippers running from wolves,” she says. “I’m still basically making the same art.” A botanical illustrator colleague of her father’s showed her that pursuing art professionally was possible, and she honed her stippling and crosshatching skills at Miami’s New World School of the Arts—one ninth-grade, hyper-detailed shady lady tree drawing appears in the exhibition—before developing a more conceptual approach at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her participatory sculpture #Puzzled (2017), originally commissioned for the Underline and now installed in The Kampong’s heritage tropical fruit collection, invites visitors to dance with its mirrored ballet barres.
A local ostentation of peacocks has gleefully taken Fisher up on the offer, preening and strutting before the reflective surfaces.
The main part of the show unfolds across The Kampong’s oolitic-limestone welcome center. In the living room, two 2001 cibachromes from Fisher’s Backyards series anchor the exhibition, their intensely pigmented, tightly cropped images showing women dressed in floral prints enveloped by cascades of cut blossoms. Nearby, Arecaceae Totem and two Arecaceae Fronds, repurposed from her Givenchy commission, converse with four new etched aluminum sculptures of the butterfly orchid and bluebell, created over the past two years. Coated in chromodynamic paint, the blossoms catch the light, revealing hidden pink and purple
tones. The newest painting, Ylang Ylang Rorschach (2025), inspired by a blooming tree on the grounds, radiates the vitality that first drew Fisher to The Kampong. The dining room features ceramics and glassworks depicting palms and carnivorous pitcher plants, while the library presents a grid of watercolors and drawings tracing her process, from direct observation to stylized studies that evolve into motifs for her large-scale sculptures. Rootwork draws out Fisher’s consistent strategy of leveraging the allure of botanical art to unify diverse audiences and inspire environmental action. “Over time, I’ve found a softer approach to activism rooted in beauty,” she says.
From top: Naomi Fisher, Pink Flowers, 2001. Naomi Fisher, Seagrape Leaves, Elliot Key, 2006. Naomi Fisher, #Puzzled, 2017. All images courtesy of Naomi Fisher
STYLE SCOOP
Dolce Dreams
After captivating Europe, From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce&Gabbana arrives at ICA Miami—an immersive ode to Italian craftsmanship, couture, and contemporary art. After acclaimed runs in Milan, Paris, and Rome—where it was extended due to overwhelming demand— From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce&Gabbana makes its U.S. debut at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, from February 6 through June 14, 2026. Curated by Florence Müller, with set design by Agence Galuchat and produced by IMG, the exhibition offers a multisensory journey into Dolce & Gabbana’s universe of elegance, sensuality, and playful irreverence. Conceived specifically for ICA Miami’s expanded home in the Design District, it reflects the museum’s focus on contemporary visual culture. Featuring more than 300 pieces from archival and recent collections, the exhibition traces how Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s ideas move “from the heart” to realization “by the hands.” Immersive rooms explore Italian heritage through art, architecture, folklore, and craftsmanship—capturing the spirit of the dolce vita . Works by artists including Quayola, Vittorio Bonapace, and Felice Limosani deepen the dialogue between fashion and contemporary art, underscoring the brand’s enduring creative influence. Given its sell-out streak abroad, Miami’s run is expected to book up quickly, so get your tickets early. dolcegabbanaexhibition.com.
From Milan to Miami —with Love
From Milan’s fashion capital to Miami’s art scene, Italy’s most iconic pizzeria lands stateside with style—and serious sauce.
GRAZIA and Le Specialità share a hometown—and now a new Miami moment. The beloved Milan institution (est. 1977) has crossed the Atlantic to the Design District, bringing its crisp, impossibly light pizza heritage and Milanese swagger to the Magic City.
Designed by Rockwell Group, the space leans “radical retrochic”—think terrazzo underfoot, a sleek green lava-stone bar with fire-engine-red stools, and sightlines made for people-watching. It’s Milan polish, Miami pulse. Art is the restaurant’s second language. From Spicy Hospitality Group founder Andre Sakhai’s personal archives comes a gallery-caliber curation: works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, KAWS, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, and Rashid Johnson turn the dining room into a conversation.
On the plate, the classics that made Le Specialità a Milan rite since the late ’70s—feather-thin, wood-fired pies; cacio e pepe; ricotta-truffle ravioli; and unfussy Italian comforts—arrive with the confidence of a place that’s cooked for fashion editors, locals, and visiting bold-names for decades. The point isn’t trend; it’s tempo: fast enough for a late show, slow enough to linger. Now open in the Miami Design District, Le Specialità reads like a love letter stamped on both ends—from Milan’s Porta Vittoria to Miami—and back again, with a kiss. Le Specialità Miami Design District, 112 NE 41st Street; lespecialitamiami.com
LOUIS VUITTON BRINGS A TOUCH OF PARIS TO WORTH AVENUE
The French fashion house lands on one of Florida’s chicest streets with a new flagship that fuses Riviera glamour and modern craftsmanship.
Louis Vuitton Brings a Touch of Paris to Worth Avenue
Louis Vuitton has officially arrived on Worth Avenue, unveiling a gleaming two-story boutique that captures Palm Beach’s breezy sophistication. The new address brings together the brand’s entire universe—ready-to-wear, leather goods, accessories, fine jewelry, watches, fragrance, and, for the first time in the region, the newly launched Louis Vuitton Home Collections. Designed in harmony with the area’s Mediterranean Revival architecture, the space features oak floors, sculptural staircases, and art commissions by Remy Benito, Trudy Benson, and more. It’s a destination as much for design lovers as for shoppers—an elegant reminder that style and savoir-faire always travel well. 222 Worth Ave., Palm Beach; us.louisvuitton.com
TAKE
O TE
EDITED BY CASEY BRENNAN
Akris Opens a Sleek New Bal Harbour Boutique
The Swiss label brings quiet luxury and architectural polish to Miami’s most glamorous shopping address.
Bal Harbour just got a little more refined. This spring, Swiss fashion house Akris opens its new boutique at Bal Harbour Shops—a minimalist jewel box. The light-filled space beside Saks Fifth Avenue exudes calm with pale maple walls, gray Italian limestone, and suspended aluminum rails that make the clothes appear to float. Fitting rooms lined in ivory horsehair and cashmere add a whisper of luxury.
Timed with the debut of Akris’s Fall/ Winter 2025 collection, the opening reflects the brand’s precise yet poetic aesthetic. Creative Director Albert Kriemler collaborated with American sculptor Alyson Shotz, whose cyanotype prints—a luminous study of blue and light—anchor the season’s theme. Shotz, represented in the Guggenheim Bilbao, Whitney, and Hirshhorn, captures the same architectural grace and quiet strength that define Akris itself. 9700 Collins Ave, Bal Harbour; akris.com
CARTIER TURNS UP THE GLOW IN DESIGN
The Maison’s newly expanded Miami flagship is a jewel box of color, craft, and coastal glamour.
Cartier has unveiled its newly redesigned regional flagship in the Miami Design District, a luminous ode to artistry and architecture. Conceived by architect Liz Diller, the fluted glass façade ripples like a heat wave, etched with a motif from a 1909 Cartier brooch—a wink to the Maison’s heritage. Inside, designer Laura Gonzalez brings Miami’s vibrancy to life through tropical hues, seashell curves, and leafy motifs. A sweeping, shell-inspired staircase connects rooms filled with fine jewelry, watches, fragrance, and accessories, culminating in a rooftop terrace lined with mosaic tiles and lush greenery. During Art Basel, Cartier spotlights its iconic feline muse with Panthère Into the Wild , an immersive experience tracing the Maison’s storied emblem through history, savoir-faire, and archival masterpieces. Cartier Miami Design District, 147 NE 39th Street. cartier.com Panthère Into the Wild , December 5–7, 11a.m.–9p.m., 23 NE 41st Street.
MIU MIU RETURNS TO DESIGN
Modern design meets Miu Miu’s irreverent charm.
Miu Miu is back—and she’s looking better than ever. The brand’s newly redesigned Miami Design District boutique glows in signature Miu Miu blue, a dreamy 5,400-square-foot space where glass, velvet, and brushed metal meet under perfect natural light. Inside, the vibe is chic, witty, and a little rebellious—just like the Miu Miu woman. Shoppers will find the Holiday 2025 collection front and center, featuring iconic Wander and Arcadie bags, sleek pumps, and those impossibly cool moccasins everyone’s eyeing this season. 190 NE 40th Street; miumiu.com.
Missoni Hits Miami in Full Color
The Italian house brings its bold, sun-soaked style to the Design District.
Missoni has officially touched down in the Miami Design District, unveiling a vibrant new boutique that channels the brand’s iconic color play and coastal cool. Designed by Lit Studio, the nearly 1,200-square-foot space blends raw cement-resin floors with warm, home-library accents and a gradient ceiling that fades from deep red to soft gray—like a Miami sunset reimagined in Missoni tones. Every detail speaks the brand’s visual language, from Missoni Home fabrics and Jannelli & Volpi wallpapers to that signature zigzag spirit woven through it all. Stocked with ready-to-wear, accessories, beachwear, and home décor, it’s pure Missoni—sunny, sophisticated, and unmistakably Miami. 112 NE 41st Street; missoni.com
BEAUTY
PAINT THE TOWN RED
“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say in any other way — things I had no words for.” — Georgia O’Keeffe
Some statements have greater impact when whispered softly. And such is the case this season when it comes to the loudmouth of all holiday hues. Red may be synonymous with big nights out and all manner of merrymaking, but why not put a creative spin on the makeup paradigm and let the shade’s strength speak through softness. Blur it, buff it, blend it beyond the border.
A translucent wash of monochromatic ruby looks fresh and festive at once—and it’s simpler to create than one might imagine. “Up your radiance with a liquid highlighter, then blend a red lipstick shade across your cheeks, the bridge or your nose, your eyelids and lips—all with a very light touch,” advises makeup artist Aurelia Lians-
berg. “The look is ‘back from a brisk country walk’.” In other words: No need to take the holidays so seriously. A slick of sheer garnet lipgloss heightens the playfulness and “makes lips look hydrated and plush,” says the pro.
For those desiring something a bit more saturated, the key to keeping things abstract lies in experimenting with texture. Case in point: the powdery pout seen here. “Modernize a stamped-on red lip by diffusing the edges very slightly,” says Liansberg. Then “tap on some high-pigment powder one shade lighter or darker than your lipstick to add two-tone depth,” she adds. No need to be super precise—true beauty and glamour lie in your own interpretation.
1. Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Blush in Starry Pink, $42, all Dior Beauty at dior.com. 2. Dior Vernis in Plum Parade, $32. 3. Dior Rouge Dior Holiday 2025 Couture Color Lipstick in 999, $55. 4 + 5. Glossier Clo3ud Paint in Storm, $24, glossier.com. 6. Dior Forever Glow Luminizer Holiday 2025 in Dior Star, $60. 7. Dior Vernis Holiday 2025 in Gold Circus, $34. 8. Dior Forever Glow Maximizer in Abracadadior, $47. 9. Dior Rouge Sequin Liquid Duo Holiday Edition in 999 Spectacular, $55.
BEAUTY ESSENTIALS
GREATS
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so why not surround yourself with makeup masterpieces? From an architect-designed fragrance flacon to the sexiest lipstick case, Gwen Flamberg curates a collection of beauty essentials that double as Objets d’Art
1-CHARMED LIFE
Melding makeup artistry and personal expression, the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit: Charms collection invites one to customize a palette with two deeply resonant, gemencrusted talismans to create a bespoke beauty accessory, exclusively at the brand’s NYC flagship and Selfridges in London. ($130, hourglasscosmetics.com for more info)
2-POWER FLOWERS
Lean in to the subversive nature of Wild Rosinda Eau de Parfum from the LBTY Fragrance collection. An olfactive interpretation of a print from storied fabric purveyor Liberty of London, this blend of black pepper, English ivy, big, Bulgarian rose, and earthy patchouli offers endless discovery. ($320, libertylondon.com)
3-BURN BRIGHT
A conversation starter on any coffee table, L’Objet’s Lito Candle (here in Bardot) is redolent of tomato leaves and vetiver spiked with zingy citrus. Even richer: The porcelain
vessel is inlaid with resin accents and painted with 24K gold. ($250, l-objet.com)
4-BOOK SMART
A story that stays with you! Open the chic Irene Forte x Olympia Le-Tan “La Vita Forte” clutch to find the Italian skincare brand’s cult favorite Bio-Peptide Lip Treatment, an anti-aging pout powerhouse. Each limited-edition bag is handsewn, making it one of a kind. ($1,995, ireneforteskincare.com)
5-WELL RED
Rouge Louboutin Matte Fluid paints lips in a wash of intense color that lasts from dawn till dusk. This shade, Jamais Assez, imparts a scorchingly hot coral. ($98, us.christianlouboutin. com)
6-BLING THING
The most meta of lipsticks: Guerlain’s Rouge G customizable forever case, Embrasse-moi from the Be Extraordinary Collection, offers an eye-catching—and drop-dead sexy—way to cut down on beauty packaging waste. ($48, guerlain.com)
7-BRUSH UP
Like the favored tool of a fine painter, the Victoria Beckham Sculpt & Blend Brush has a sleek, walnut handle that aids in the precise placement and blending of bronzer and cream color to elevate any look, be it quiet luxury or all out glam. ($62, victoriabeckhambeauty.com)
8-STOP EVERYTHING
3With a bottle designed by iconic architect Frank Gehry, Louis Vuitton Fantasmagory is more than a fragrance—it’s a work of sculpture for your vanity table. The luminous aroma marrying powdery-soft vanilla with heady leather will send you, too. ($595, louisvuitton.com)
9-GLOW FOR GOLD
As coveted as a piece of heirloom fashion, Hermès’ limitededition Rocabar Silk Powder pays homage to Henri d’Origny’s design for the house’s iconic silk scarf by the same name. Blended together, the hues of rose, peach, beige, and bronze impart a gorgeous radiance. ($120, hermes.com)
NOT TO MISS
FAST FADING
David LaChapelle’s new exhibit explores today’s ephemeral culture
WORDS ROXANNE ROBINSON
Fixity is a fleeting concept in the digital age, where everything moves at the speed of light. David LaChapelle’s new show Vanishing Act at the VISU Contemporary gallery in Miami, presented by the gallery’s co-owner and co-curator Dr. Bruce Halpryn, explores this state of society that leaves attention spans to mere seconds. GRAZIA US spoke to the photographer and artist from his Los Angeles studio, where he reflected on his own work and capturing today’s audience.
Highlighting the artist’s evolution are nine never-before-seen works. Will the World End in Fire, Will the World End in Ice (2025), a version of a previous piece, depicts cracking glaciers, a menacing sun, and a raucous Carnival cruise scene. Viewers may glean climate change, devil-may-care attitudes of the upper class, or even take the title literally. “The work chosen reflects this idea of a ‘vanishing act’, but I don’t attach meaning to it. I like when people interpret it themselves,” he said, adding, “Everyone who’s old enough feels we’re in a different time than ever before.”
Negative Currency (1990-2025) is part of a series inspired by LaChapelle’s 1986 trip to Miami Beach for employer Andy Warhol at Interview magazine. He stayed at the Fontainebleau Hotel, which was full of rich Venezuelans. His Cuban friend noted that they felt superior to other Latinos because of their wealth. “The piece explores money being the root of all evil and how it’s not God we are trusting in, but materialism and technology,” the artist says. “Venezuela is now a failed country.”
The show features two groundbreaking angel photos that LaChapelle worked with the late feath-
er master Martin Izquierdo—to whom he paid his last $2,000—to create custom white wings long before Angels in America or Victoria’s Secret. “As a kid in New York, AIDS felt apocalyptic but not for the entire world. It wasn’t like now, when things are at a precipice where anything could happen,” he said, adding, “It brought me deep into my faith. I wanted to illustrate that. My friends were dying. I figured I was positive and going to die, so I wanted to find a purpose. I keep my work beautiful and optimistic even when dealing with difficult topics like my fears or thoughts.”
According to Halpryn, “We live in transformative times; what’s bad is good, what’s good is bad. Without taking a political position, the show aims to reflect on those dynamics,” he said.
Five early glass-painted floral works are on offer to collectors for the first time. “The flowers are past
their prime but still beautiful, hopefully not unlike people like me,” said the 69-year-old gallery owner. The gallery is the only U.S. contemporary fine art gallery authorized to carry and sell LaChapelle’s work.
LaChapelle compares the breadth of his work to a swimming pool. “In life, you don’t just want to swim on the shallow end or the deep end. You go back and forth. I’ve done pictures to make people laugh, for escape like fashion. It’s fun to look at. Then there is work with more depth and meaning,” he continued.
‘BEAUTY, AS A LANGUAGE, IS A TOOL FOR CAPTURING PEOPLE’S ATTENTION.’
Halpryn aims to instill a view of both sides of the pool in the exhibition. “I hope viewers leave with a renewed sense of wonder—and perhaps a touch of unease. David’s work doesn’t offer easy answers; it invites contemplation about beauty, belief, and the fragility of everything we build. If visitors find themselves reflecting more deeply on what truly endures in their own lives, then the exhibition has done its job,” he said, noting that personally he would like to demonstrate that photography occupies the same emotional and intellectual space as painting or sculpture. “It can move, challenge, and transform us.”
There is another Florida exhibition of LaChapelle’s work upcoming, including a retrospective at the Orlando Museum of Art, the show he says draws a lot of young audience interest: “Photographing pop stars brings in the kids, and they discover works they didn’t know about.”
Capturing Gen Z screen-free is the photographer’s secret power. “Attention spans have gotten shorter; we’re in a different time. Beauty, as a language, is a tool for capturing people’s attention. They look at beautiful things longer.”
The show runs November 29, 2025, through January 31, 2026, with a free public grand opening with David LaChapelle on December 5.
Top: David LaChapelle, Megan Thee Stallion, 2024. Bottom from left: David LaChapelle, Late Summer, 2008-2011. David LaChapelle, Gas BP, 2012. David LaChapelle, Listen to Her, 1986. All images courtesy of VISU Gallery.
READING ROOM
Art Basel Miami Beach and more than 20 satellite fairs make the Magic City the ultimate December playground for global art collectors. Yet a decade ago, when Argentine hotelier Alan Faena first welcomed these moneyed snowbirds to his five-star Faena Miami Beach on Collins Avenue, he did something unusual: Through his Buenos Aires–based nonprofit, Faena Art, he placed ambitious site-specific projects directly on the sand, beyond the resort’s gilded walls. Land artist Jim Denevan’s illuminated mandala Solar Light Geometry inaugurated Faena Art’s use of the public beach as a plein-air gallery, and the following year 30,000 spectators turned out for Tide by Side, a parade featuring South Florida cultural groups—from the Little Haiti Cultural Center to the Miami Gay Men’s Chorus—marching alongside international artists such as Los Carpinteros and Ernesto Neto. “Nobody was doing any exhibitions on the beach—it was only to take sun or to walk,” Faena recalls. “We were the first to use that amazing wide stretch of sand to make art accessible to everyone.”
Since then, Faena Art has collaborated with established names like Derrick Adams and Studio Drift, alongside local talents including Alexandre Arrechea and Kelly Breez, commissioning installations that address urgent social and ecological questions. Highlights include Faena Prize for the Arts winner Paula de Solminihac’s Morning Glory (2022), a topographic installation of wooden decks shaped like the dune-stabilizing beach vine, and Alaska Native artist Nicholas Galanin’s Seletega (2024), a 40-foot sculpture of a shipwrecked Spanish galleon that brought colonial
SUN, SEA, AND SAND
Faena Art marks a decade of public art on Miami Beach with a monumental installation by Es Devlin
WORDS ALISON S. COHN
and Indigenous histories into conversation. “That was a big start,” Faena reflects. “Ten years later, we are here to continue pushing boundaries.” To mark this milestone, Faena Art has invited British artist and stage designer Es Devlin—whose large-scale work includes immersive installations and show sets for Chanel and Dior—to create Library of Us, a monumental library of 2,500 books.
“I wanted to offer a response to the question I had been asked again
and again by students and young artists: ‘Where do your ideas come from?’” Devlin says. “Over time I have offered a range of answers, often quoting Jorge Luis Borges: ‘I am not sure I exist actually. I am all the writers that I have read.’” Devlin first connected with Faena’s founder over their shared love of reading. She discovered his writings on architecture, and the two had wide-ranging discussions about their favorite texts (his span from Carlos Castaneda’s The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way
of Knowledge to Hardy Boys mysteries). The idea for Library of Us grew from her determination to promote close reading in a world of distraction and builds on earlier kinetic installations in London and Milan that drew thousands into focused encounters with books. “My immersion in the text had become constantly interrupted by the phone in my pocket, calling me with its dopamine promise,” she says.
Library of Us opens December 2 and runs through December 7, transforming a day at the beach into an immersive literary experience. A triangular bookshelf at the center slowly revolves, surrounded by a donut-shaped reading table with stools on the inside turning in sync with the shelves, allowing 60 visitors to have an impromptu book club. LED text lines appear in both the beachfront installation and its companion Reading Room inside the hotel’s Juan Gatti–muraled Faena Cathedral. Texts are displayed in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole, with the voice track supporting visually impaired visitors. “Es’s piece is a reflection on how we lose our connection with the history of humanity if we lose our connection with books,” Faena says. Devlin’s selections—including Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous engage with themes central to Faena Art. After the run, all books will be donated to Miami public libraries and schools, extending the project’s impact beyond the shoreline.
Top: Rendering of Es Devlin’s Library of Us on Miami Beach, 2025. Left: Rendering of Es Devlin’s Reading Room at Faena Miami Beach, 2025. Images courtesy of Faena Art
What’s GOOD HANG OUT
From glow-up wellness to latenight DJ magic, here’s everywhere worth checking into, checking out, and showing up for this season.
HOTELS
ANDAZ MIAMI BEACH
Formerly The Confidante, this Mid-Beach icon reemerges with Andaz polish— oceanfront pools, cabanas, and José Andrés–led dining. Its Art Deco charm meets modern energy, making it the ideal spot between Basel’s beach days and latenight buzz.
THE SHELBORNE BY PROPER
Back on May 1 after a $100 million overhaul, this Collins Ave landmark merges Art Deco nostalgia with mid-century flair. Expect ocean-view rooms, a classic cabana-lined pool, and refined dining from chef Abram Bissell.
IBEROSTAR WAVES MIAMI BEACH
Opened January 2025, Iberostar Waves brings a breezy, design-led spirit to Collins Avenue. Soft neutrals, palm-filled terraces, and a Mediterranean mood define this eco-conscious stay—elevated yet easy, like the new Miami itself.
SPAS / WELLNESS
THE STANDARD SPA, MIAMI BEACH
A Basel classic refreshed. The Standard’s upgraded spa now includes a sleek hammam, ocean-view sauna, and cold plunge. Café Standard fuels the vibe with coastal bites and adaptogenic lattes, while luxe Biologique Recherche facials and CBD massages keep it effortlessly cool— equal parts detox and day party.
FAENA SPA (TIERRA SANTA HEALING HOUSE)
A 22,000-square-foot sanctuary of scent, sound, and spectacle. Tierra Santa fuses South American rituals with Biologique Recherche facials, herbal hammams, and sound-bowl sessions—wellness wrapped in Faena’s signature crimson-and-gold drama.
THE WELLNESS OASIS™ PRESENTED BY CHASE AT RESERVE MIAMI SEAPLANE
Returning for its third year, The Wellness Oasis™ presented by Chase—created by 4B Advisory—joins forces with Reserve Padel for a two-day Art Week pop-up (Dec 2–3). Expect expert-led workshops, mindfulness sessions, and holistic activations promoting balance, self-care, and connection at Reserve Miami Seaplane Base.
JIMENA GARCIA BROWS AT FAENA
Get ready for glam at Art Basel Miami Beach — the legendary brow artist Jimena Garcia, the acclaimed in-house expert for Chanel beauty, is popping up at Faena Hotel Miami Beach to sculpt couture brows in true highfashion style.
RESTAURANTS / BARS
AMAZÓNICO
A three-level Latin-American escape in Brickell, where rainforest-meets-luxury, DJ-led evenings blend with premium crudos and wood-fired ceviche, and design reigns in lush tropical geometry.
PARI PARI
Pari Pari brings Parisian-Japanese cool to Wynwood—just 25 seats, hand-rolls made to order, crisp nori, caviar bumps and a crowd that feels more Left Bank than latenight Miami.
SHOP
BIGFACE – MIAMI FLAGSHIP
From basketball legend Jimmy Butler, the BIGFACE café-lifestyle hub pulses in Miami’s Design District. Sip on matcha lattes or indulgent cloud lattes, browse the street-wear-meets-coffee collection, and soak up that sun-drenched, urban-refined energy.
RETROFÊTE MIAMI DESIGN DISTRICT
The New York label brings its signature shimmer south with a two-story pop-up in the Design District—sequins, metallics, and statement pieces made for Basel nights, open through early 2026.
ART BASEL AWARDS
The inaugural Art Basel Awards debut this year with 12 Gold Medalists in partnership with BOSS.
LITTLE RIVER STUDIOS
An art-meets-music playground hosting the three-day UnKommon Art Week takeover with sets by Tiësto, HUGEL, Rampa, and Joezi. Expect Berlin-meets-Miami energy, immersive visuals, and a crowd that actually came to dance.
PALM TREE X THE SURF LODGE
A waterfront escape where Hamptons cool meets Miami heat. Palm Tree Crew and The Surf Lodge deliver golden-hour house sets, chic cocktails, and a crowd that turns Basel nights into effortless after-hours.
BLACK COFFEE AT THE COURTHOUSE
An open-air house spectacle at the Downtown Courthouse. Black Coffee headlines a cinematic night of rhythm, architecture, and Miami heat.
WORDS CASEY BRENNAN
The Shelborne by Proper
SOME ENCOUNTERS YOU WEAR FOREVER RINGS AND BRACELETS IN 18K BEIGE GOLD, 18K WHITE GOLD* AND DIAMONDS.