I always look forward to solo trips. I like that I can get up as early or as late as I want. I can walk or take an Uber. I can leave food on the bed as I fade into sleep.
I found an Airbnb in Wynwood, Miami’s art and fashion district just blocks from Kaspar Basse’s brainchild, Joe and the Juice and a 2-mile walk to the design school, Istituto Marangoni.
Istituto Marangoni
Following in the footsteps of Istituto Marangoni’s international network of schools to enhance talents since 1935, Istituto Marangoni Miami’s vision is to drive students’ dreams through innovation and responsible design.
RESPONSIBLE DESIGN
Four pillars of responsible design focus: lifecycle, repair, sourcing, and community.
Life cycle- What does that textile have to do? Where does the travel? What is that journey? And how do we ensure that it will not end up in the landfill?
Repair- How do we push and promote that repairing clothing is imperative to climate change?
Sourcing- Where is the textile coming from? What process was used for farming cotton? How ethical were the manufacturers?
Community- Build Your Own Design. This an ingenious concept; a designer and a commoner collab to create a one-of-a-kind garment together.
Istituto Marangoni has recently partnered up with Parley, the organization that produces textiles and products from ocean waste.
“An estimated 8 million metrics tons of plastic trash ends up in our oceans every year. After sunlight photodegrades the plastic into small pieces, aquatic life and seabirds mistake these fragments for food and ingest it.
New studies show that ingested plastic damages the internal organs of fish. This raises the question about the safety of our seafood.
If we fail to clean up the plastic and stop the continued pollution of the oceans, we are facing the potential extinction of many sea life species and the interruption of the entire ecosystem.”
: A sobering message from Paul Watson :
IF THE OCEANS DIE, WE DIE.
UPCYCLED FASHION
After a bit of research, I was set on visiting RE/DONE’s freestanding store. RE/DONE is a brand on a mission to keep heritage brands relevant (namely Levi’s) and to create sustainable, mindful fashion. Their store was exactly how I imagined; understated and artful.
This concept is very similar to Minnesotan’s own Gay Hacker of 3rd Hand Clothier who specializes in upcycled garments including alteration, design and construction using recycled/sustainable fabrics.
SUSTAINABLE STAYS
1 Hotel rests on Collins Ave, the main artery of South Beach. It’s Earthly vibe just hits different when you walk inside. As if an ethereal portal opened and has warmly welcomed you in. Inside this LEED-Certified hotel you’ll find every detail was whipped by the eco-stick in the very best way. BONUS: 1 Hotels are in some of our most dynamic cities, Los Angeles, NYC, San Fransisco, and Nashville.
The Standard Hotel and Spa sits on Belle Isle in Biscayne Bay. It’s vibe is derivative of mod design. Think Andy Warhol meets FROY. I skipped the poolside drinks and spent time relaxing in the spa before my B-12 intramuscular shot.
B-12 regulates energy, mood, sleep, detoxification, red blood cell production, immune support, and is vital for nerve and heart health.
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE CHEFS
I couldn’t leave Miami without experiencing The Bazaar, one of Chef Jose Andres famed restaurants. Chef Andres won me over a few years ago at Napa’s Bottle Rock Music and Food Festival on the culinary stage. His sense of humor and energetic personality is magnetic. I’ve been following his humanitarian endeavors since. Currently, Chef Andres is in Poland with his non-profit organization, World Central Kitchen, providing thousands of daily meals and food kits to recently liberated cities, isolated communities, displaced families, and neighborhoods caught in the crossfire of the Russian invasion. You can support his efforts here.
I ordered the Caesar salad, which IMO, is only as good its dressing. The dressing was a complete W- the perfect balance of salty, earthy, and tangy flavors sans the anchovy aftertaste that I don’t fancy. The croutons were weird little pillow crackers that I kept pushing around my plate hoping to find the real McCoy.
Miami continues to be one of the most progressive and provocative US cities to wander. They’ve got it all- flavorful food, vibrant culture, audacious art, sustainable fashion, gorgeous beaches, and Phil Collins.
Until next time.
XO Be Well,
Jules