Design Miami 2025 Opens in Miami Beach Under “Make. Believe.” Theme
- camilarosiaz
- Dec 10
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 10
The fair Design Miami 2025 opened on December 3 at its home base in Miami Beach’s Pride Park, marking what the organizers call the largest edition yet — the capstone of Design Miami’s 20th-anniversary year.
Running through December 7 (with Preview Day on December 2), the 21st edition brings together over 80 exhibitors to explore the curatorial theme “Make. Believe.,” a concept intended to highlight the convergence of fine craft and unfettered imagination.
Curatorial Highlights: Where Craft Meets Fantasy
Under “Make. Believe.”, exhibitors lean into bold color, playful forms, and material experimentation. Among the standout works:
Designer Katie Stout activates the theme with a mirrored, kaleidoscopic carousel installation — part of her commission for the 10th anniversary of the Miami Design District’s Annual Design Commission — offering a whimsical, interactive centerpiece at the fair.
Several galleries and special-project booths emphasize experimentation with materials, surface, reflection, and sculptural forms — turning usable objects into expressive, collectible works.
Recognizing Excellence: Awards and New Voices
At this year’s fair, Design Miami presented a slate of awards to honor both historical legacies and emerging talent:
Historic and contemporary works stand side by side, with rare furniture and lighting pieces earning distinction for their craftsmanship and design ambition.
A new initiative, Design Miami 2.0, spotlights eight contemporary studios whose avant-garde vision is positioned as the fair’s next chapter — signaling Design Miami’s intention to remain a vanguard for collectible design.
A Fair in Transition: Partnerships and Global Expansion
To mark its milestone 20-year history, Design Miami launched its first-ever “Title Partnership” with Bank of America Private Bank, underscoring a renewed focus on supporting design as a cultural and economic force.
Simultaneously, Design Miami announced a collaboration with Alserkal Avenue to create a Middle East edition of the fair: a curated collectible-design platform to launch in Dubai in 2027. This move expands the fair’s global footprint beyond Miami and Paris.
