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Rolling lawns, cocktail bars and a clientele from music, film and technology: Design Miami’s debut presentation in Los Angeles was a little different from other collectible design shows when it opened last week . By invitation only, photographers were dressed as Rick Owens; the valets parked mostly Porsches.
The venue was a 3-acre 1930s Holmby Hills estate with a swimming pool, Japanese garden and tennis courts. It was designed by Paul Revere Williams, the first black architect to join the American Institute of Architects in 1923, whose clients included Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball.
Los Angeles has embraced high-end design with enthusiasm. “Ten years ago, the collectibles market was more of a niche here,” says Ashlee Harrison, curatorial director. “Now people here are very savvy, very aware, whether it’s the more pop cultural tastes in the music industry or a very sophisticated group of art collectors.” Indeed, Harrison made sure to address the latter with a section titled “Master Works: Important Design, 1938 to Present,” which featured important pieces, including a pair of 1933 bronze lamp bases by Alberto Giacometti (on sale via the American gallery Salon 94).
Last October, the Basic digital marketplace. Space acquired Design Miami and its founder Jesse Lee became chairman of the board. A Los Angeles tech entrepreneur, Lee had noticed a growing interest in high-end design on the invitation-only site, favored by wealthy millennials and Generation Z (users include Diplo and Steve Aoki). He injected a similar energy into the fair.
“After Covid, people want experience,” said Lee, wearing a loose, faded pink Balenciaga sweatshirt, as we sat on a white garden bench whose slats curled into metallic swirls elaborated (by Pablo Reinoso and on sale via Carpenters Workshop Gallery. ). “But they’re also investing more in their home and the cool things in it. People were posting mirror selfies. Now they display the mirror.
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