Ansel Elgort and Offset Party During Art Basel
A hazy concert by Offset. A Gen Z model blew out birthday candles. A book signing at Gucci. The tropical bacchanal of art fairs, private dinners and A-list parties known as Art Basel Miami Beach has returned with a vengeance. Here are some highlights from Wednesday night.
Disco Balls and Fried Chicken
There was a long line at the Gucci store in Miami’s Design District, but this time it was for a book. Mickalene Thomas and her partner Racquel Chevremont were signing copies of their new art book, “Monograph.” Less bookish fans posed in front of neon lights and disco balls for the perfect selfie.
Occasion: A book signing and cocktail party for Ms. Thomas.
The Room: Upstairs from Gucci’s shiny store, with images of Ms. Thomas’s work displayed on giant screens.
In Attendance: Ms. Thomas; Ms. Chevremont; Michael Chow, the restaurateur, and his wife, Vanessa Rano; Tourmaline, an activist; and models including Selah Marley.
The Food: Nina Compton, a chef from New Orleans, served hot fried chicken, tuna tartare and jerked tofu.
The Mood: “I’m really excited to see the work at the Untitled Art Fair tomorrow,” Ms. Thomas said. “They do a beautiful job of displaying the work, and it doesn’t look like you’re going through a mall.”
A Gen Z Model Grows Up
Jordan Barrett, a model once labeled, by Vogue, an “It Boy,” said he has never had a proper birthday party before. So he invited 40 of his closest friends at Art Basel to help him celebrate.
Occasion: Mr. Barrett turned 25. He was also promoting his sparkling sake brand, Hape.
The Room: Gitano Miami, the South Beach outpost of the clubby Mexican restaurant in Tulum.
The Food: Small shared plates like queso with chorizo, guacamole and branzino with kiwi.
In Attendance: Mr. Barrett; his partner Fernando Augusto Casablancas; Ricky Thompson, an actor; Chloe Wise, an artist; Candice Swanepoel, a model; and the musician Duckwrth.
Moment of the Night: Around 11 p.m., Mr. Barrett blew out the candles on two large cakes, one that resembled his sparkling sake can.
The Mood: “The moment I leave here I really want to get away from as many people as I can and be alone for a moment,” Mr. Barrett said of his holiday plans. “I want to be in the jungle and in nature, so hopefully I can go to the waterfall in Las Palmas.”
Shots With Offset
The mezcal was flowing, and the dance floor was wet with spilled drinks. After midnight, partygoers squeezed themselves into a basement lounge for a late-night performance by Offset.
Occasion: Flaunt, a fashion magazine from Los Angeles, celebrated its latest issue.
The Room: The downstairs lounge at Gale, a South Beach hotel, decorated with tropical wallpaper.
In Attendance: The hip-hop musicians Offset and Quavo; Michele Lamy, the fashion designer; the actor Ansel Elgort; Shaun Ross, a model and musician; and Cuba Gooding Jr., the actor.
Moment of the Night: After some technical glitches, during which Offset requested a few shots of tequila to fill the awkward silence, he performed two songs including “Bad and Boujee,” around 1:30 a.m.
The Mood: “I was signing books that featured me. I’m also doing a few things with Offset, but mainly I am here in Miami for Virgil,” Ms. Lamy said, referring to Virgil Abloh, who died last week. A Louis Vuitton show on Monday became an impromptu tribute. “The show was absolutely great, it was the best thing we ever saw of him. It’s difficult, but it brought people together. On Monday I’m going to Chicago for the funeral.”