While many global artists, collectors, 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 collection 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 collection, 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.”