Once again this year, from Wednesday 6^th until Sunday 10^th December, culture vultures were able to immerse themselves in all the inspirations and stimulations of Miami Art Week, which served up all manner of exhibitions, installations, and pop-up events attracting interest from well beyond the traditional confines of the “art world”. 

Digital art, too, has come to be a major fixture of the annual art week in recent years. This, in turn, helps to explain why many a fashion, lifestyle, or high-end brand may also take an interest in initiatives showcased there that draw upon the power and reach of Web3. 

‍Brands look to diversify beyond a mere focus on Web3 

There was, however, also something noticeable different about Miami Art Week this year; while Web3 certainly still played a role in the festivities in South Florida, it was competing for attention with other key frontiers in the art, cultural, and fashion spaces, such as sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and brick-and-mortar retail. 

Or to put it as Vogue Business did: “It’s not that Web3 has faded from cultural relevance; it’s just now sharing space.” The outlet’s senior innovation editor, Maghan McDowell, said that a “more restrained sentiment” was evident at Miami this year.

 Looking to 2024, McDowell added that she anticipated brands would “balance experimental tech buzz with practical, varied efforts.” She further stated that it was a “good thing” brands had “diversified”. 

‍So, what were some of the highlights of the 2023 Miami Art Week for brands? 

If you’re reading this as a key decision-maker for a high-end brand that is in the process of honing its Web3 or blockchain strategy, you should know that such technologies certainly still had a part to play in Miami this year. 

The digital fashion house Syky, for instance, took the chance to showcase a rising talent from its own incubator, the visual artist and designer Glitchofmind, who put together a debut virtual fashion collection fusing art, fashion, and editorial. The outcome was described by the artist as “storytelling couture”. 

However, the highest-profile Web3 activation during the week was probably the newest collaboration of the Rtfkt design studio and Ledger. The project in question, “Rtfkt x Ledger collaboration Nano and Vial Case”, saw the debut of a new, limited-edition hardware case that owes much to the futuristic aesthetic of Rtfkt, and which also comes with its own collectable NFT. 

But with other major draws in Miami encompassing the likes of store openings, retail partnerships, and curated art and panels, Web3 was far from the only game in town this year. It was a Miami Art Week that saw LVMH, for instance, host a series of events drawing attention to its recent partnership with the Miami Design District to convert to 100% renewable energy in the 22 LVMH stores within the shopping district by 2025, including such brands as Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Fendi. 

Shiseido, meanwhile, showcased how the traditional offline and Web3-oriented online worlds can blend effectively with each other. After hosting a cocktail party on a yacht to promote its latest skincare offerings, the brand hurled the covers off no fewer than 1,872 commissioned generative artworks from four artists. The artworks in question drew inspiration from Shiseido products, and were sold as NFTs via the Art Blocks platform. 

The 2023 Miami Art Week, then, certainly held potential lessons for brands that are presently seeking to refine – or for that matter, revamp – their Web3 and blockchain strategy in readiness for an enthralling 2024. If your own brand would appreciate the help in accomplishing that from leading digital and strategic experts, please feel free to reach out to the Skywire London team today.