Every event is a fashion show nowadays, including Miami Art Basel.
The four-day annual event, held around Miami’s Art District earlier this month, is a showcase of masters of modern and contemporary art, with several pieces sold for more than $1 million. In addition to being a place to plunk down major investments, however, the show has become somewhat of a winter fashion and pop culture event comparable to Coachella.
While artwork is the intended star, colorful light installations and sculptures have become irreverent backdrops for Instagram photos.
This year’s event drew incognito celebrities (Leonardo DiCaprio donned a not-so-inconspicuous black hoodie and hat in Miami), brand sponsored parties (What Goes Around Comes Around showcased vintage Versace pieces at a raucous party at the Versace mansion) and a flood of fashion influencers documenting their every outfit.
And attendees amplified their style with statement pieces that combined the individualistic freedom derived from the art world with Miami’s signature dress code of flash and skin. Bold licks of color, psychedelic prints and clashing motifs were abundant, and denim often served as the medium.
Jean jackets were painted with original works of art and jeans were artfully splashed with bleach. Denim shorts were paired with richly-colored kimono-style silk robes, while designer Virgil Abloh made an appearance with a bandana-printed Trucker jacket.
Others favored striped denim overalls, military-inspired denim vests, boyfriend style jean jackets and classic ’90s style straight legs jeans.
