This fall, Merlin Entertainments is proud to recognize and honor first responders, military members, and veterans. From Oct. 1 through Nov. 30, 2025 , select attractions will offer free one-day admission to active-duty military, veterans, and first responders as a token of appreciation for their dedicated service.   This limited time offer is available at the following attractions:   LEGOLAND® New York Resort LEGOLAND® Florida Resort Madame Tussauds New York Madame Tussauds Orlando SEA LIFE Orlando The Orlando Eye   In addition to free admission, service members can also enjoy 50% off one-day tickets for up to six accompanying guests, making it the perfect opportunity to bring the whole family for an unforgettable day of fun.   To claim this offer , eligible guests must verify their status and purchase free and 50% off guest tickets in advance, either online through ID.me or at a local Military Ticket office. Tickets must be redeemed between Oct. 1 and Nov. 30, 2025, and are only valid at participating locations.   Note:   The Military includes Active Duty, Reserves, and Veterans – (Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard.) First Responders include any  Law Enforcement , Emergency Medical Services (EMS) , EMTS, along with Firefighters. By ML Staff. Content images courtesy of Courtesy of LEGOLAND Florida Resort.

Christie’s presents the Post-War to Present auction, the premier platform for today’s leading artistic voices and celebrated figures of the post-war period. Offering fresh perspectives on figuration and abstraction through the lens of contemporary artists, such as  George Condo ,  Matthew Wong , Ernst Yohji Jaeger and Yu Nishimura, the sale also features pioneering artists of the post-war era, such as  Joan Mitchell ,  Alexander Calder ,  Alice Neel ,  Frank Stella ,  Sam Gilliam  and  Jack Whitten . The sale is underpinned by sublime examples from esteemed private collections, including Joie de Vivre: Works from the Collection of Vivian Fusillo ,  Art is Art: Works from the Personal Collection of Wendy Al and Billy Al Bengston, Property from the Collection of Phyllis and Fred Pressman and A Triumph of Figuration: Selections from the Joel and Carole Bernstein Family Collection. The sale will also be highlighted with leading examples of Latin American art, including the work of  Olga de Amaral  and a continuation of offerings from the  distinguished collection of Tiqui Atencio and Ago Demirdjian . Leading the autumn auction season, the Post-War to Present sale embodies the apex of the lineage of 20th- and 21st-century art, extending ample opportunities for every type of collector. Auction times 30 Sep 10:00 AM (EDT) 30 Sep 02:00 PM (EDT) ML Staff. Content/images courtesy of Christie's

Experience the magic of live orchestral music this weekend at the New World Symphony (NWS), located at 500 17th Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139. The New World Center is buzzing with energy as the 2025–26 season kicks off, featuring world-class performances and exciting debuts. Upcoming Events Tianyi Lu Conducts Bartók & Brahms Date:  Saturday, September 20 | Time:  7:30 PM This Saturday, enjoy your first look at all the 2025–26 Fellows  in their first full orchestra concert of the season. Conductor Tianyi Lu  and NWS's new Conducting Fellow, Ziwei Ma , will lead a celebratory evening featuring Bartók and Brahms , with pianist Lukáš Vondráček  making his NWS debut. Tickets are pay-what-you-wish, starting at just $10—perfect for newcomers and longtime fans alike. Meet the New 2025–26 Fellows This season, NWS welcomes 35 extraordinary new Fellows  from across the globe, including Brazil, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, the United States, and Venezuela. Learn more about the Fellows, recent alumni, and stories from their summer. Mark Your Calendar Even if you missed last weekend’s pre-season concerts, the excitement continues. The full season officially launches October 4–5 , featuring world-class performances, chamber music, and special appearances by NWS Fellows and guest artists. Learn more at NWS . By ML Staff. Photo/NWS

Gucci has introduced the Gucci Shift , a new sneaker designed to capture movement and reinterpret athletic codes for modern life. First revealed during the Cruise 2026 fashion show in Florence last May, the sneaker is ultralight, low-profile, and defined by the House’s signature Web stripe, merging heritage with contemporary design. For women, Gucci Shift combines mesh GG fabric, suede, and elastic inserts for a deconstructed feel. The flat sole draws inspiration from ballet, balancing elegance and comfort. Signature touches include a light gold Interlocking G charm, the Web stripe, and a Web loop at the back. Styles come in suede, technical fabrics, and GG canvas in neutral shades. Men’s designs highlight bold modernity with Web stripe details on the tongue and heel, lateral stitching inspired by the motif, and a maxi-logo outsole. Options include plain leather, washed leather, and GG canvas. The sneaker is available exclusively online with wider availability expected later in the season. Learn more at gucci.com . By ML Staff. Photos/Gucci

Shoes for a Cure , the U.S. fashion and footwear industry’s leading fundraiser for breast cancer research and treatment, returns to the Miami Design District (MDD) October 16–19 for its second year. More than 20 international luxury brands, including Tom Ford, Valentino, and Ferragamo, will host exclusive activations for top clients and donors, with a percentage of sales benefiting the Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center . The weekend kicks off with a private dinner at Mother Wolf Miami featuring a silent auction of rare fashion pieces, VIP art and sports experiences, and ultra-luxury getaways. Bidding for auction items opens to the public October 1. As a cultural and philanthropic leader in South Florida, MDD says the event reflects its ongoing commitment to women’s health and the local community. Further details on brand activations and event programming will be released in the coming weeks through Shoes for a Cure. By ML Staff. Photo/MDD

The Women’s Breast & Heart Initiative (WBHI) —a leader in disease prevention and early detection— returns with the 9 th  Annual WBHI Pink Walk—5K Run and Walk hosted by  Miami Dade College-North Campus . Leading into Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the 2025 Pink Walk  will take place on the morning of Sunday, September 21. The community and their families are invited to run or walk in support of raising local funds for WBHI’s grassroots educational programs on disease prevention and grassroots resources that support early detection of breast cancer. WBHI Pink Walk—5K Run and Walk at Miami Dade College-North Campus. Photo Credit: The Women's Breast & Heart Initiative   Johanna Torres , the dynamic weekday morning traffic reporter on the NBC 6 top-rated news show, will emcee the 9th Annual WBHI Pink Walk . With her signature warmth and enthusiasm, Johanna will inspire runners and walkers to unite in support of breast cancer prevention and early detection. This community celebration features live music, Jon Saxx , local DJ, a record-breaking “Boots On The Ground” line dance warm-up , sponsor giveaways, and more. The Pink Walk also caps Miami Dade College’s Changemaker Week , reinforcing a commitment to health and well-being—one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. “The outpouring of support from across South Florida has been truly inspiring,” said Andrea Ivory , founder and executive director of WBHI. “Through the WBHI Pink Walk , we’ve built incredible momentum in uniting the community around local resources that help beat the odds of breast cancer and heart disease. Prevention and early detection  remain at the heart of our mission, and we’re deeply thankful to our sponsors, partners, and every individual who joins us in creating a healthier future. Seeing students, families, professionals, corporations, performance runners, and—most importantly—survivors all standing together for this cause is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve as a community.” WBHI Pink Walk 2025 participants receive a t-shirt, chip timed bib, and finisher medal. Runners and walkers are also empowered to play an active role in helping to transform and save lives by setting up a personal fundraising page. Special swag will be awarded when participants raise $50, $100, $250, $500, and more, helping WBHI get to its $100,000 goal . P roceeds will benefit the Women’s Breast & Heart Initiative for its grassroots community services including early detection, health education, care coordination and patient navigation.  The morning event begins with registration at 6:00 a.m., opening ceremony at 6:50 a.m., and run/walk kickoff at 7:30 a.m.  The WBHI Pink Walk  will feature sponsor samplings including Macy’s , Starbucks , Santo Dulce Churros , and more.  The 9 th Annual  WBHI Pink Walk  is made possible thanks to generous supporters including host partner Miami Dade College; Turnberry  and Jackson Health System ; Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute , Assurant , Memorial Healthcare System together with Solis Mammography ; Genentech , Mount Sinai Medical Center-Comprehensive Center , Kubicki Draper , Florida Mobile Mammography, Ivey Design Build, Vintage Floors & Interiors, Gilead Oncology, SHIFT; joined by   essential partners,  iRun and  Colodny Fass. On-site participants of WBHI Pink Walk will have special access to order a pre-sale voucher, with just their vehicle tag number on-hand, for the beautifully designed WBHI designated license plate that supports Disease Prevention & Early Detection , flbreasthealth.com/license-plate . Upon production, the specialty license plate will provide increased education and awareness relating to early detection, prevention, and screening of breast and heart issues. Supporters of WBHI’s 9 th  Annual Pink Walk  can also participate virtually outdoors in the 5K Run and Walk around their neighborhood, or at the park, beach, or other convenient outdoor location. All are invited to spread the word among friends, family, and the community at large, while challenging three other people to join in. Each year, 1 in 8 women  will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 43,000 die. Despite remarkable advances in treatment and early detection, breast cancer remains one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers among American women, and it remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. The Women's Breast & Heart Initiative The Women's Breast & Heart Initiative (WBHI), a leader in disease prevention & early detection is dedicated to transforming and saving lives while providing at-risk women, community members, and college students with the prevention and early detection necessary to beat the odds of breast cancer and heart disease. The organization firmly believes that early detection and living disease deterrent lifestyles are critical in the prevention and reducing the risks of breast cancer and heart disease, leading causes of death in women.  Throughout the year, WBHI provides those living in South Florida with early detection resources, health education, care coordination, and patient navigation. For more information about the Women’s Breast & Heart Initiative, visit  flbreasthealth.com , and follow us on Facebook.com/TheWBHI , Instagram@wbhi , YouTube@TheWBHI , and LinkedIn@The Women's Breast & Heart Initiative, FL Affiliate .  Tune in to WBHI’s Living for Longevity podcast at flbreasthealth.com/podcast  for expert advice covering a variety of lifestyle topics, including nutrition, physical activity, and self-care.   By ML Staff. Content provided by The Women's Breast & Heart Initiative.

Miami is packed with world-class festivals, global sports, and standout cultural events. I’ve picked the key annual moments that define the city’s energy—chosen for their impact, vibe, and must-see appeal. These are the top events worth experiencing, whether you're a local or just visiting. january EVENTS Art Deco Weekend Photo: Courtesy of @artdecoweekend/Instagram Long-running cultural event in January celebrating Miami Beach’s Art Deco architecture with tours, exhibitions, and live performances. When :  January   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where :  Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL Website : Art Deco Weekend Life Time Miami Marathon Photo: Courtesy of @themiamimarathon/Instagram Major international marathon event held every January, drawing thousands of runners from around the world. When:  January   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Downtown Miami, FL Website:   Life Time Miami FEBRUARY EVENTS Miami International Boat Show Photo: Courtesy of @miamiboatshow/Instagram The largest boat and yacht event in the U.S., this annual February show brings together luxury vessels, marine tech, and lifestyle exhibits across multiple venues. Attendees can explore everything from superyachts to family cruisers, and enjoy watersports demos, seminars, and VIP experiences along Biscayne Bay. When:  February 12–16, 2025 Where:  Multiple locations including the Miami Beach Convention Center, Herald Plaza, Venetian Marina, Museum Park Marina, and Superyacht Miami at Yacht Haven Grande Cost:  Tickets start around $42 for general admission; VIP and multi-day passes also available Website:   Miami International Boat Show Coconut Grove Arts Festival Photo: Courtesy of @coconutgroveartsfestival/Instagram Large-scale outdoor art festival held annually during Presidents Day weekend, attracting tens of thousands of visitors. When : February   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where : 2700 S. Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, Miami, FL Website : Coconut Grove Arts Festival South Beach Wine & Food Festival Photo: Courtesy of @sobewff/Instagram High-profile culinary festival held each February, featuring celebrity chefs, tastings, and exclusive events. When:  February   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Various locations in Miami Beach, FL Website:   South Beach Wine & Food MARCH EVENTS Ultra Music Festival Photo: Courtesy of @Ultra/Instagram Massive electronic music festival held annually in March, drawing top global DJs and huge international crowds. When : March   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where :  Bayfront Park, Downtown Miami, FL Website : Ultra Music Festival Miami Music Week Photo: Courtesy of @miamimusicweek/Instagram Week-long series of electronic music events across Miami each March, leading up to Ultra Music Festival. When:  March   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Various venues across Miami and Miami Beach, FL Website: Miami Music Week Jazz in the Gardens Music Fest Photo: Courtesy Of @jazzgardens/Instagram Popular annual music festival in March featuring major jazz, R&B, and hip hop artists, held at Hard Rock Stadium. When:  March  (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL Website: Jazz in the Gardens Music Fest Carnaval Miami Photo: Courtesy of Carnaval Miami/Instagram City-wide annual celebration of Latin culture featuring various events, including the iconic Calle Ocho Music Festival and Carnaval on the Mile. When:  Every March (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Various locations in Miami, FL Website:   Carnaval Miami Miami Open Photo: Courtesy of @miamiopen/Instagram Prestigious annual tennis tournament held each March at Hard Rock Stadium, part of the ATP and WTA Tours. When:  March-April   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL Website:   Miami Open   APRIL EVENTS Miami Beach Pride Photo: Courtesy of @miamibeachpride/Instagram Annual LGBTQ+ pride celebration held in April, including a parade, parties, and cultural programming throughout Miami Beach. When:  Second week of April   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Miami Beach, FL Website:   Miami Beach Pride may EVENTS Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix Photo: Courtesy of @f1mia/Instagram Annual Formula 1 race held every May around Hard Rock Stadium, attracting global motorsport fans. When:  May   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Miami International Autodrome, Miami Gardens, FL Website:   Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix   JUNE EVENTS Miami Swim Week Photo: Courtesy of @miamiswimweekshows/Instagram Series of swimwear and resortwear runway shows and brand activations, typically held annually in July, though scheduling may vary. When:   Every July (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Various venues in Miami Beach, FL Website:   Miami Swim Week AUGUST EVENTS Miami Spice Photo: Courtesy of @francescorestaurant_/Instagram Annual restaurant promotion running August through September, offering prix fixe menus at top restaurants citywide. When:  August - September   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Participating restaurants throughout Miami and Miami Beach, FL Website:   Miami Spice OCTOBER EVENTS Miami Fashion Week Photo: Courtesy of @miamifashionweek/Instagram Fashion event focused on resort and Latin American designers, held most years in the spring or summer with variable scheduling. When:  Every October or November (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Various venues in Miami, FL Website:   Miami Fashion Week NOVEMBER EVENTS Rolling Loud Miami Photo: Courtesy of @rollingloud/Instagram One of the largest hip-hop festivals in the world, held annually in Miami with a high-profile international lineup. When:   November   (click on the website link below for exact event dates) Where:  Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL Website:   Rolling Loud Miami DECEMBER Events Art Basel Miami Beach Photo: Courtesy of Art Basel Miami Beach One of the most prestigious art fairs in the world, Art Basel Miami Beach takes over the city every December with a dynamic mix of modern and contemporary art from global galleries. While the main fair is held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, the entire city buzzes with satellite shows, VIP parties, and pop-up exhibitions from Wynwood to Design District. When:  December 5–8, 2025 (main fair dates) Where:  Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr, Miami Beach, FL Cost:  General admission tickets typically range from $65 to $95 per day Website:   Art Basel Miami Beach By ML Staff. Photo credits displayed below each photo

Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea , the nation’s No. 1 hard tea iced*, is launching its first-ever U.S. Hispanic advertising campaign to welcome more people to the party than ever before. Designed to authentically celebrate culture, flavor and community, Twisted Tea is debuting brand-new Spanish-language support across media, retail, influencers and more to introduce America’s favorite hard iced tea to Hispanic drinkers throughout the country. Developed in collaboration with agency partner, Loud And Live Marketing, this campaign captures the energy of backyard asados, tailgates and every impromptu celebration in between. And at the center of it all? Twisted Tea doing what Twisted Tea does best: bringing people together and turning the day up a notch with a whole lot of flavor and fun. CHEF COLLABORATIONS At the heart of this campaign is Twisted Tea’s collaboration with three award-winning Hispanic chefs – bringing together culinary and creative talent across the country to create Twisted Tea-infused grilling sauces. Perfect for the tailgate and beyond, these limited-edition sauces were inspired by each chef’s culinary expertise and heritage. Chef partners and their custom Twisted Tea creations include: Chef Eduardo Lara from Wolf of Tacos in Miami designed the mildly spicy grilling sauce he’s called The Redemption . A tangy, slightly sweet and fruity sauce made with Twisted Tea, this offers a pleasant yet numbing peppery heat. Rooted in asada tradition, this is made with hibiscus and guajillo chiles to create a sweet and smokey chamoy sauce. Chef Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman from Eledi in Dallas used Twisted Tea as a main ingredient to create Tamarindo Twist . A tangy, slightly sweet sauce with tartness that cuts through grilled or smoked meats, Tamarindo Twist is inspired by classic BBQ flavors and the bold, fruity kick of chamoy. On the heat scale, this one sits in the middle. Chef duo Alex & Elvia Garcia from Evil Cooks in Los Angeles created our spiciest grilling sauce they dubbed Twisted Tail . Made with smoky mortia chilies and chile de árbol, this is a tangy-sweet salsa that blends the brightness of traditional salsa ranchera with Twisted Tea’s smooth sweetness. Once sauces were tested and perfected on an open-flame using custom Twisted Tea-branded grills made by Texas-based NOMAD Grills , each chef collaborated with award-winning illustrator Carlos Solano to design unique labels to visually represent their creations. For a behind-the-scenes look at how these sauces and illustrations came to life, check out their personal stories here . Fans eager to get their hands on a Twisted Tea grilling sauce kit, you’re in luck! Available exclusively on Twisted Tea’s Tea Store beginning Tuesday, September 9, fans can purchase Twisted Tea Grilling Sauce Set delivered right to their door, just in time for the tailgate. Snag ‘em while supplies last! MEDIA AND MORE Now running across streaming TV, paid social and digital platforms, Twisted Tea has released the brand’s first Spanish-language ads. A twist on the brand’s established Tea Drop campaign, brand-new :15 and :30 spots feature a backyard party that brings together friends and family across generations to “Keep it Twisted.” Twisted Tea will also activate on-the-ground experiences across key markets in California, Florida and Texas as part of this Hispanic campaign beginning now and rolling through next year. Pop-up samplings, local partnerships and experiential activations will support the brand’s continued focus to introduce Hispanic drinkers to the brand. “Twisted Tea has always been a brand that’s about bringing more people to the party, so this new Hispanic campaign is a way to continue to do just that,” said senior brand director, Erica Taylor. “Over the past several years, we’ve seen Hispanic households grow, and we know once they’re introduced to the brand, they quickly become fans! An opportunity to authentically talk to those drinkers who haven’t heard about Twisted Tea before, this is just another example of how the brand will foster its passionate – and growing – fanbase.” For more information about Twisted Tea, visit TwistedTea.com and follow along on social @TwistedTea . By ML Staff. Content/images courtesy of Twisted Tea.

We’ve rounded up some of our favorite events happening this fall at Deering Estate , located just under 20 miles south of Downtown Miami! Short Films at MIA Zoom in on Deering Estate’s Artist-in-residence Program Miami International Airport's MIA Galleries and the Deering Estate’s Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program have joined forces to host The Deering Estate AT MIA: AIR Archive , a screening of four short films highlighting past and present Deering Estate AIRs John William Bailly, Andrés Cabrera-García, Giannina Dwin, and Tony Fernandez. The films, produced by Emmy® award-winning filmmaker Jorge Gonzalez Graupera, are being screened until January 2026 at the airport’s MIAmi (moving images) video wall near gate J7. Image: Video still from Andrés Cabrera-García (Deering AIR Archive Series) , 2025, courtesy of Jorge Gonzalez Graupera. Learn More Historic Ghost Tour Wednesday, September 17, 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm Explore the history of the Deering Estate and step into the past on a Historic Ghost Tour. Our guides will share stories of historic events, insights into previous inhabitants and the record of paranormal activity experienced by visitors and staff. Walking the same paths that Indigenous People, Miami’s early settlers, and even Charles Deering have walked as we navigate the moments that linger on. Details & tickets On the Water Adventures & Biscayne Bay Cruises Deering Estate offers a variety of  “On the Water” adventures  where participants can enjoy a variety of kayak tours on Biscayne Bay, including the popular and scenic  Lighthouses of Biscayne Bay Cruise  on Saturday, September 13 and Saturday, September 27! Details & tickets Herp Tour Saturday, September 13 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Join a Deering Estate naturalist on a ‘Herp Tour’ throughout the property’s restricted natural areas. This program offers a chance to understand our reptilian and amphibious neighbors in wild and urban habitats. Details & tickets Conservation Workshop: The Problem with Derelict Traps Sunday, September 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Ana Zangroniz, our Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent, will talk about the derelict trap removal work she is doing in partnership with Biscayne National Park. She will also cover trap fishing in Florida and Miami-Dade County, defining a derelict trap, what is being done to address derelict traps, management challenges, and what you can do to help! Details & tickets MIAMI short FILM FESTIVAL Focus On: Films from Mexico & Central America Sunday, September 14 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. MIAMI short FILM FESTIVAL, Miami-Dade Parks, and Deering Estate present Focus On: Films from Mexico & Central America. The event will take place indoors at the Deering Estate Visitor Center Theater. There will be a welcome cocktail reception (ages 21+) at 7:00 p.m., and the screening begins at 7:30 p.m. Details & tickets Miami-Dade International Coastal Cleanup 2025 Saturday, September 20, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. VolunteerCleanup.org invites you to their annual county-wide cleanup celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Ocean Conservancy's ICC. Volunteer to clean up at Deering Estate , Deering Point , and the Deering Estate People's Dock ! Registration Daily Guided Museum Tours Join our museum staff for a Guided Museum Tour daily at 11:30 a.m. This tour showcases the Historic Houses and their architectural and cultural significance. Guests will learn about Charles Deering’s life, the Estate’s connection to South Florida’s Indigenous cultures, and its role in Miami’s history. This tour is free with the purchase of general admission. All guests, including Deering Estate Foundation Members, are required to sign-up at the Main Gate before the tour begins in order to ensure their space. Space is limited. By ML Staff. Photos/Deering Estate

More than a decade after the creation of its pioneering Institut des Métiers d’Excellence program to preserve and pass on the Group’s unique array of exceptional skills, LVMH reaffirms its active commitment to promoting careers in Creative, Craft and Customer Experience professions, once again taking part in the Les De(ux) Mains du Luxe event organized by the Comité Colbert, the French luxury goods trade association. This year’s event is set for October 2-5, 2025. Addressing a shortage of talents in luxury professions, Les De(ux) Mains du Luxe promotes the attractiveness of these métiers and aims to spark vocations among young people by showcasing the aesthetic and creative intelligence inherent to these skills. The event is organized in collaboration with the French national education system and leading luxury industry businesses to encourage vocational training, job mobility for youth and work-study programs.  For four days, the event will welcome students, teachers, young people thinking about future career directions, adults interested in reskilling, families, and everyone eager to learn more about the secrets behind crafting luxury goods. The exhibition presents specialized skills in three key LVMH Group activities – leather goods, haute couture and fashion, and perfumes and cosmetics – through demonstrations by experts plus fun participative workshops where visitors leave with an object they made with their own hands. The LVMH Institut des Métiers d’Excellence will be part of the Schools & Partners section, presenting career opportunities and vocational training available in these métiers.    Six LVMH Houses are taking part within a specially designed space at the exhibition, offering a daily program of craft experiences to share the rich and varied range of opportunities available in their highly-skilled professions.     Unique experiences proposed by LVMH Houses    Louis Vuitton is hosting an introduction to leather goods skills, inviting visitors to create a miniature replica of the iconic Alma bag, applying special creasing techniques using leather offcuts from Louis Vuitton workshops.  Dior has created an experience inspired by its couture excellence where visitors make creative use of unused fabrics from Dior ateliers and try their hand with a needle and thread to sew a signature Dior star to an upcycled pochette.   Celine invites participants to craft their very own leather wallet, learning techniques for painting edges, hot marking, sewing and creasing.   Parfums Christian Dior will present secrets to making ribbon bows and “baudruchage”. Passed on over generations, this heritage technique consists of sealing the neck of perfume bottles with a thin strip of fabric tied into a decorative knot, followed by wax seal, thus preserving the integrity of the scent in each bottle.   Guerlain will unveil “Les Secrets de Shalimar” in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of its legendary perfume, inviting visitors to retrace the history of the fragrance, and discover both the ingredients in the composition and the remarkable craft know-how (“barbichage” braided wire on the neck of the bottle, and “baudruchage”) that enhances the iconic flacon. They can also try their skill in affixing a label to the bottle.   Maison Francis Kurkdjian takes visitors to the heart of a fragrance creation through an immersive fresco that presents each step in producing the Kurky perfume.   In addition to the exhibits, experts from the LVMH Group and its Maisons will also take part in a series of conferences, round tables and masterclasses in a 230-seat auditorium open to visitors. Designers, executives, journalists and luxury goods specialists will all take the stage to share behind-the-scenes insights from major luxury houses, as well as the key challenges facing the industry today. The agenda includes events prepared in partnership with media group Le Monde.  Saturday, October 4:    Masterclass on  “Creating the olfactory signature of the new Kurky fragrance”, moderated by journalist Karine Vergniol, with Francis Kurkdjian, Creative Director of Maison Francis Kurkdjian (10 to 11)  Round table on  “Envisioning the future of handcrafted and design professions”, moderated by Elvire von Bardeleben with Marion Bardet, Director of Métiers d’Excellence LVMH , Héloïse Leboucher, Operations Director, Campus MoMADe, Pascal Morand, Executive President of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, and Benjamin Simmenauer, philosopher and Research Director, Institut Français de la Mode (4:15 to 4:45)  Sunday, October 5:    Round table on “The Role of Heritage in Storytelling and Creation”, moderated by Elvire von Bardeleben, with Olivier Flaviano, Director of the Galerie Dior , Gaspard de Massé, Heritage Director, Balenciaga, and Emilie Hammen, Director of the Palais Galliera (10:30 to 11)  Masterclass moderated by journalist Karine Vergniol with Pierre-Louis Vuitton, Head of Savoir-Faire Louis Vuitton (3:40 to 4)  An event centered on Passing on Craft Skills and Career Orientation  After welcoming over 35,000 visitors during previous editions, the event takes on an exciting new dimension, with 2,500 square meters of immersive exhibition space under the stunning glass roof of the Grand Palais. Les De(ux) Mains du Luxe brings together 32 luxury houses across seven themed sectors (tableware, leather goods, décor, gastronomy & hospitality, watches & jewelry, haute couture & fashion, perfumes & cosmetics), along with 20 schools and vocational training organizations. The program includes daily hands-on discovery activities, plus conferences, round tables and masterclasses.   The event is open to the public free of charge subject to prior reservation via the Les Deux Mains du Luxe website: www.lesdemainsduluxe.com    This year’s event will include a “beyond the walls” exhibition on the Champs Elysées from September 22 through October 5 (stretching from the (Rond-point des Champs-Elysées to Champs-Elysées Clémenceau). The exhibition will present the event concept and showcase the heritage and savoir-faire of participating luxury houses with a series of 20 freestanding outdoor displays.   ML Staff. Content/images courtesy of LVMH

Celebrating 30 years of pioneering creations by Francis Kurkdjian, the exhibition Perfume, Sculpture of the Invisible is set for October 29 to November 23, 2025 in the Saut du Loup space in the Palais de Tokyo in Paris.   Curated by Jérôme Neutres, this olfactory retrospective pays tribute to the vast diversity of creative domains explored by Francis Kurkdjian . Since his debuts, when he quickly made a name for himself with the resounding success of Le Male – a fragrance he created for Jean Paul Gaultier in1995 – Francis Kurkdjian has always expressed a desire to bring new dimensions to perfume creation.   The throughline for the exhibition is perfume itself, in all its guises and most unexpected forms, inviting visitors to experience astonishing olfactory moments and reconsider the role of scents in shaping the ways we smell, see and understand art, and indeed the world.   Revisiting 30 years of creative exploits, the exhibition reprises memorable installations and scented environments in France and around the world. Visitors have a chance to rediscover magical moments presented at the Grand Palais, the Château de Versailles, the Philharmonie de Paris or the West Bund Art & Design contemporary art fair in Shanghai.  The journey showcases the rich diversity of the many artistic conversations in which Francis Kurkdjian has engaged with creative talents from myriad disciplines, notably his first collaboration in 1999 with Sophie Calle, who commissioned a scent inspired by “the smell of money”. Unveiled in 2003 at the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, the fragrance – at the same time “attractive and repulsive” in the words of the perfumer himself – has been recreated for the current exhibition.   Also featured is a reconstituted recording studio, highlighting Francis Kurkdjian’s intimate collaborations with the performing arts, in particular his friendship and dialogue with cellist and music director of the Orchestre de Paris, Klaus Mäkelä.  “ My hope is that this olfactory journey at the Palais de Tokyo will spark emotions, as well as questions, visions, sensations and new ways of experiencing harmonies with the world by exploring an infinite possibilities of the rich and absolutely unique medium we call perfume”, says Francis Kurkdjian. ML Staff. Content/images courtesy of LVMH

Central Square in downtown Warsaw is immense. Occupying 60 acres, it has had umpteen uses since its creation in the 1950s. Reflecting its erstwhile name of Parade Square, it hosted many a political procession during Poland’s era of communist rule. Pope John Paul II gave a giant open-air mass there in 1987. Funfairs and flea markets filled it in the 1990s, since when the square has mostly served as a parking lot. ‘With our first few shows, we’ll have to get used to the size of the new building,’ says Joanna Mytkowska, ‘because it’s five times bigger than any of our previous spaces.’ Photo: Maja Wirkus ‘Now, however, it’s being totally reimagined,’ says Joanna Mytkowska, director of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw (also known as MSN Warsaw). ‘There’s no square in Europe like this one, and the topic of how to use it caused discussion, disagreement and tension in Poland for a long time.’ More on this below, but Mytkowska is referring to a period that began in 1989 with the collapse of communism. Eventually, the city of Warsaw decided that the square should serve a cultural purpose. A theatre called TR Warszawa is currently under construction — on a site adjacent to MSN Warsaw, which opened in February. Spread across four floors, the museum owns an ever-expanding art collection, currently numbering about 4,000 pieces. It focuses chiefly on work made in the 36 years since democracy returned to Poland. International artists do feature, but two-thirds of the pieces are by Poles — the likes of Magdalena Abakanowicz , Mirosław Bałka , Wilhelm Sasnal and Ewa Juszkiewicz . Magdalena Abakanowicz (1930-2017), Alone, 2008. Jute sack. 150 to 200 cm. Collection of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. Artwork: © Marta Magdalena Abakanowicz-Kosmowska and Jan Kosmowski Foundation According to Time magazine, MSN Warsaw is one of the ‘World’s Greatest Places’ to visit in 2025, part of the draw being the building itself: a coolly minimalist, rectangular structure made of white concrete. One might see the museum as an expression of confident, modern-day Poland — a country whose economy is growing at such a rate that it is now among the 20 largest on Earth. ‘I was filled with enthusiasm, but had no idea what a huge task opening a museum would be’ - Joanna Mytkowska The plan is to combine displays and exhibitions of different sizes, based on MSN Warsaw’s holdings and outside loans. The initial offering, however, is a show titled The Impermanent . Spread out across the entire venue, it features 150 highlights from the museum collection. Works include Façade by Monika Sosnowska , a replica of the curtain wall of a 1960s building, which has been crushed, twisted and stretched; and Eurotique by Henrike Naumann, an installation that resembles a furniture showroom — alluding to the rush of citizens to embrace consumerism in the 1990s and deck out their homes in Western fashion. Małgorzata Mirga-Tas (b. 1978), Re-enchanting the World: June, 2022. Fabric (found objects), feathers, beads, strings, sequins, acrylic paint, glue on canvas. 462 x 541 cm. One of 12 panels. Collection of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. Photo: Daniel Chrobak Another highlight is June , one of 12 large-format textiles shown by Małgorzata Mirga-Tas in Poland’s pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale . Modelled on an allegorical set of Renaissance frescoes at Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara, these are replete with references to the artist’s Romani heritage. ‘It’s a relief the museum is now open,’ Mytkowska says. ‘People can simply come in and enjoy it, where before we always seemed to be negotiating our existence with society. It was one crisis after another.’ Entirely publicly funded, MSN Warsaw cost the city of Warsaw $175 million. This goes some way to explaining the fraught backdrop to its opening. For the full story, however, one needs to look back 80 years. Henrike Naumann (b. 1984), Eurotique, 2018. Furniture (cabinets with glass doors, chairs, sofas, armchairs, tables, shelves), furnishings (lamps, record stand, book stand, mirror, pictures, curtains), decorative items, book publications, TV, metal fence posts with ropes, carpet, wallpaper, suspended ceiling with lighting; film (colour, sound). Collection of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. Photo: Barek Zalewski. Artwork: © Henrike Naumann During the Second World War, much of Warsaw was reduced to rubble, including a residential area where Parade Square and a gargantuan building called the Palace of Culture and Science would subsequently emerge. The latter was Stalin’s gift to the Polish people, and he sent thousands of Soviet workers to build it. Upon completion in 1955, it became the tallest building not just in Warsaw but all Poland (at 757 feet — 230 metres — high, it was only surpassed three years ago by the Foster + Partners-designed skyscraper, Varso Tower). The palace housed offices, theatres, a congress hall, a museum of technology, and more. Though officially a gift, it served also as a symbol of Soviet potency in the heart of Warsaw. Locals loathed it. They even told a joke that the best view of their city was from the palace roof, as it was the only place in Warsaw where you couldn’t see the palace. The correspondingly large Parade Square was constructed at the building’s base. It was designed by the leaders of the Polish People’s Republic for rallies and parades, often featuring tanks — in other words, for ideological spectacle rather than everyday life. All of which left the tricky question of what to do with palace and square alike when communism fell. There was occasional talk of demolition, but nothing came of it. The Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw, in 1979. Graham Greene, in a 1956 essay on Warsaw for The Atlantic magazine, describes how the edifice ‘shoots up its useless tiers like a gangster’s wedding cake in the centre of the city’. Photo: Alain Le Garsmeur / Alamy Fast-forward to 2004, the year Poland joined the European Union. With the backing of the national government, the city of Warsaw decided to mark this new era by building five museums: the Polish History Museum , the Polish Army Museum , the Warsaw Rising Museum , a museum of contemporary art (located on Parade Square), and the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews . All five are now open — though, in MSN Warsaw’s case, only after a long wait. The obstacles were myriad, significant among them being a lack of consensus over how an architect should be selected. Three different competitions were held in the space of a decade. It’s said that a proposal by Zaha Hadid was rejected in the first competition because she had failed to tick a box saying she didn’t have a criminal record. ‘We couldn’t get a building permit, because it couldn’t be proved that the municipality owned the site for construction’ - Joanna Mytkowska In 2007, the museum’s initial director resigned, unhappy that Swiss architect Christian Kerez had won the second competition. Which is when Mytkowska, then a curator at Paris’s Centre Pompidou, took up the reins. ‘I was young and naive at that time,’ she says. ‘I was filled with enthusiasm, but had no idea what a huge task opening a museum would be.’ One particular obstacle seemed insurmountable. After the war, swathes of Warsaw’s land had been nationalised. Once re-privatisation began in the 1990s, many citizens filed lawsuits, claiming to be the rightful (hereditary) owners of given plots — particularly plots in the city centre, which had the greatest value. Installation view of The Impermanent exhibition featuring Façade, a 2013 sculpture by Monika Sosnowska. Collection of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. Photo: Daniel Chrobak. Artwork: Courtesy the artist Mirosław Bałka (b. 1958), Black Pope, Black Sheep, 1987. Mixed media. 161 x 60 x 97 cm. Collection of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. Photo: Daniel Chrobak. Artwork: © Mirosław Bałka ‘We couldn’t get a building permit,’ Mytkowska says, ‘because it couldn’t be proved that the municipality owned the site for construction. After four years, the project was cancelled.’ MSN Warsaw duly began life as a nomadic museum, showing work in a series of temporary homes such as a riverside pavilion and a former furniture store. ‘We felt there was more to us than just a building,’ says Mytkowska, ‘and we ended up developing a community of followers, as well as a cultural voice within Warsaw, which ultimately led to the museum being built.’ After toying with the idea of turning Parade Square into an office-and-retail space, the city authorities reverted to plan A — albeit with a fresh architectural competition. In 2014, a proposal by the US architect Thomas Phifer was adopted (his CV including recent expansions of Glenstone museum in Maryland, and the Corning Museum of Glass in upstate New York). With new momentum, all claims to plots of land were settled, and in the words of the spokesperson for Warsaw’s then mayor, Parade Square had ‘become uncursed’. Installation view, Alina Szapocznikow (1926-1973), Friendship, 1954, at the Museum of Modern Art. Photo: Maja Wirkus. Artwork: © 2025 ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London. This monumental Soviet Realist bronze sculpture dominated the main hall of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw from 1955 to 1992. The figures of a worker and a soldier, personifying the Polish and Soviet nations, were later stripped of their hands and the banner they carried, as part of a spontaneous campaign to remove reminders of the communist regime The museum had a soft opening for two weeks in the autumn of 2024. A few large-scale artworks were put on view, but the main purpose was to showcase the building. On the ground floor are a bookshop, an auditorium and a café, as well as the start of an M.C. Escher -like double staircase, with two flights that diverge and reunite as one ascends. On the first and second floors are 4,500 square metres of gallery space, with skylights and large windows ensuring an abundance of light. Opinion about the building was split. Some critics longed for something more audacious — the Polish architect Radosław Gajda, for example, stating that it is ‘devoid of anchor points’. Others compared the structure to a bunker, a shoebox and an IKEA warehouse. That said, an impressive 600,000 people have visited the museum since its official opening six months ago. ‘With our first few shows, we’ll have to get used to the size of the new building, because it’s five times bigger than any of our previous spaces,’ Mytkowska says. ‘But we’re looking forward to the challenge.’ Currently included in The Impermanent exhibition, Wilhelm Sasnal (b. 1972), Polish Border Wall, 2023. Oil on canvas. 180 x 240 cm. Collection of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. © Wilhelm Sasnal. Courtesy the Artist. Photo: Marek Gardulski In October, the latest edition of the (currently itinerant) Kyiv Biennial will open at MSN Warsaw. The museum will also host The Woman Question: 1550-2025 , an exhibition of work made by female artists (Polish and foreign) over the past five centuries: they range from Artemisia Gentileschi to Małgorzata Mycek, a non-binary, millennial performance artist from Poznań. Mytkowska says that MSN Warsaw will aim to be ‘local and global at the same time’. Which is to say, plugged into international art currents while always keeping the Varsovian public in mind. That public will have a further chance to sample Poland’s burgeoning contemporary art scene when Warsaw Gallery Weekend takes place later this month (19-21 September). Held annually, it is now in its 15th edition, with 54 exhibitions set to open at galleries across the city. ‘The scene is developing rapidly — it’s an interesting time for Poland,’ Mytkowska says. She means politically as well as artistically. From 2015 until its electoral defeat late in 2023, the country was run by the conservative Law and Justice Party. Its ministers had several run-ins with the (predominantly liberal) directors of Poland’s arts institutions — in the name of promoting traditional values and viewpoints. Click here  for the latest Christie's auctions. ML Staff. Content/image courtesy of Christie's.