What You Missed at Art Basel Miami Beach 2023

Sukeban, the Japanese women’s professional wrestling league, hosted a riveting five-match card and championship fight at Lot 11 Skatepark on December 6. The event, billed as "Sukeban Miami," marked the league's expansion beyond Japan and built on the success of the Sukeban World Premiere in New York City in September. The league aims to bring the Joshi pro wrestling experience to global audiences amid the rising popularity of Joshi in recent years, primarily through social media. The Miami event featured not only the championship match, but also a Japanese-style street fair, concessions and exclusive merchandise.

Queens art hub MOMA PS1 collaborated with the footwear brand On for their event, "A Night in Miami," at SLS South Beach. The evening showcased artists associated with MoMA PS1, including visual presentations by Diane Severin Nguyen, a debut performance by Marie Karlberg, and DJ sets by Ariel Zetina and Memphy. Even better, the night capped off with a headlining performance by alt icon Eartheater, whose latest album Powders dropped back in September.

On Saturday December 9, New York-based Australian designer Dion Lee celebrated the brand’s first US flagship in the Design District at the Institute of Contemporary Art, presented in partnership with Emcee and Cash App, with a special performance by Kelela and DJ sets by Crystallmess, Mister Vacation and Fashion. Guests sipped on specialty cocktails by Cash App and Tepozan Tequila throughout the night. Emcee and Dion Lee will showcase their first collaboration capsule collection at the Miami store location, also sold on Emcee. Notable guests included Shenseea, Gabriette, Memphy, LSDXOXO, Yaeji, Blu de Tiger, Kim Shui, Gabriette and so many more.

NEUDE's Official Launch at The Webster and Afterparty at Twist

On December 7th, The Webster served as the exclusive retailer for the debut of Neude, a premium underwear brand for men. The event saw appearances by founder Eric Niemand and creative director Christopher Glancy, and showcased photography by Steven Klein. The festivities continued into the night with a stylish afterparty at Twist, attended by the usual suspects who were captured through the lens of photographer RUVAN.

Golden Goose Collaborated with Artist Gregory Siff for Its FORWARD Concept

On December 6th, Golden Goose inaugurated its FORWARD concept in Miami's Design District. The brand marked the occasion with an event that featured personalized walkable works of art by artist Gregory Siff, who utilized his distinctive blend of pop art and abstract-expressionism. Attendees included actor Twan Kayuper, DJ Blond:ish and model Carmella Rose. Golden Goose’s FORWARD Miami retail location is part of the brand’s global expansion and emphasizes its ongoing sustainability initiatives.

On December 6th, Los Angeles-based luxury hospitality giant The h.wood Group revealed its inaugural east coast outpost, Delilah Miami, with a star-studded event at the restaurant's oceanfront Brickell location. The VIP preview, held ahead of its official debut on December 15th, showcased the location's hopes to become Miami’s latest culinary hub. The evening featured surprise performances by DJ Khaled, Tyga and Janelle Monae.

On December 8th, American Express orchestrated the PLAY by American Express Platinum House Party at The Miami Beach EDITION. The event saw numerous attendees the likes of Lori Harvey, Chanel Iman, Aly Raisman, Yvonne Orji and others, while also featuring the talents of the LA-based DJ collective, Donavan’s Yard. The accompanying art showcase, PLAY by American Express Platinum, reimagined toys as collectible art and was the product of a collaboration between PlayLab, Inc. and Mattel Creations.

On December 10th, Virgil Abloh Securities and Architecture c/o Virgil Abloh™ continued their annual celebration of Virgil Abloh's creative legacy with the second Abloh Invitational. Building on the success of the previous year, the 2023 Abloh Skateboarding Invitational featured free riding sessions, a best trick competition and a public skate session, attracting renowned professionals like Eric Koston, Kareem Campbell and Louise Lopez. The event was open to the public and encouraged local skaters to compete alongside the pros, with activities such as an open skate session, obstacle challenge, cash for tricks and a professional skateboarding demo.

The second day of the Abloh Skateboarding Invitational was dedicated to community programming, named "FREE GAME" and offered workshops, clinics, tutorials, training sessions and discussions for the next generation of skaters. It also featured an "Atiba Jefferson: Skate Photography" exhibition, which showcased over 100 iconic images from Jefferson's 25-year career as a prominent skateboarding photographer, featuring legendary athletes like Tony Hawk and Eric Koston. Guests included Kid Cudi and Evan Mock.

Bloody Osiris Reveals Unreleased HUGO GO-2 Sneaker

HUGO, joined by special guests, hosted this event as a collab with Bloody Osiris, celebrity stylist and brand partner. The gathering showcased a sneak preview of the HUGO GO-2 sneaker and commenced with a private cocktail event at Swan restaurant and lounge in Miami's Design District, operated by none other than co-owner Pharrell Williams. The night continued in the main lounge with an afterparty that featured DJ sets and notable personalities, such as A$ap Ferg, Young Paris and Victor Cruz.

LAGOS Jewelry's Cocktail Party at Gitano Miami Beach

LAGOS, the fine jewelry brand, hosted an event at Gitano Miami Beach with brand friends Theophilio Creative Director Edvin Thompson and Artist Monica Ahanonou. Their celebration showcased LAGOS Caviar designs and the brand's debut couture collection. The night also saw the brand make a donation to the Black Fashion Fair, which supports the discovery and advancement of Black designers and Black-owned brands.

Photo courtesy of Deonte Lee/ BFA