Design Miami—one of the world’s leading design fairs, that takes place in tandem with Art Basel—is about to enter its 20th year. What began as a small endeavor in Miami’s Design District is now a tri-part international juggernaut: Design Miami occurs not only in the Magic City, but also Basel, Switzerland, and Paris, France. It’s a big deal, and yet, because it largely focuses on items for the home, there’s a warmth around it that can be harder to sense in the static convention halls of a traditional art fair. Case in point: Design Miami is known for its feel-good verve, and that’s especially true at this year’s edition, which was built around a theme upliftingly dubbed “Blue Sky.”
Photo: Kris Tamburello
“It’s the concept of ‘blue sky thinking,’” said Glenn Adamson, Design Miami’s 2024 curatorial director, at a media preview on Tuesday. “Taking the imaginative leaps that are intrinsic to design practice. It’s also the idea of a boundless horizon, and the optimism in that. And the final meaning has to do with universalism. The same sky is above all of us, no matter who we are.” Design Miami’s CEO Jen Roberts also emphasized the optimistic component when speaking about the fair. “There’s a joyfulness,” she told us. “You want to try it out. You want to engage with it. There’s pleasure in it—I think that’s what it is.”
The room—well, mega-tent—was buzzing over that sentiment. Craft, which has returned to prominence in the design world over the past few years, had a strong presence at this year’s edition, along with a touch of the fantastical and a dash of the pragmatic—all of it amounting to something sophisticated and fresh and, perhaps, a little bit youthful. (Twenty is still young, after all.) Below, our highlights from Design Miami 2024.
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Design Miami is open to the public from December 4 to December 8.
Bottega Veneta x Zanotta
Photo: Courtesy of Bottega Veneta
Photo: Courtesy of Bottega Veneta
Mathieu Blazy’s seating at Bottega Veneta’s fashion shows is garnering cult status in the design world, too. For spring 2025, the brand’s creative director tapped the Italian design firm Zanotta to create beanbag chairs in the likenesses of animals (two years before that, the chairs were colorful boxy resin shapes, made with the late Gaetano Pesce). When the fauna are gathered together, as they are in Miami, this capsule is called “The Ark,” which Blazy described as “a joyful world with a sense of wonder” (very fitting for the optimism Adamson mentioned). Before the show had opened, a number of the animals had sold out (there are only 500 in total, in various colorways). Two, a light gray rabbit and a white chicken, are exclusive to Design Miami. If interested, Bottega Veneta can connect you to their dedicated sales team–but, and forgive the pun, there’s a flood of interest in this ark, so act fast.
MIAMI (WSVN) – A 21-year-old man was arrested on a charge of sexual battery on a minor by an adult and lewd or lascivious molestation stemming from an alleged incident involving a 10-year-old girl, according to an arrest report.
According to the report, Alvin Davis was arrested due in connection from an alleged incident that occurred Oct. 16, 2025, in Miami. The child’s mother, who became suspicious and placed a recording device in the child’s bedroom.
The report states the girl told investigators that Davis touched her inappropriately on multiple occasions.
Authorities said Davis was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and is being held without bond.
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Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is expected to be a late first-round draft pick on Thursday night, which will bring him a guaranteed four-year contract worth around $20 million. But he considered turning that down for a big-money offer to stay in college.
Simpson, who has previously said that Miami offered him $6.5 million to transfer and play for the Hurricanes in 2026, said on David Pollack’s podcast that the money was too good not to at least think about.
“I think the last offer was definitely one that I just had to sit down and consider, because it would have been life-changing money,” Simpson said. “It would have made me the highest-paid player in college, and it was something to where I was like, I can’t just ignore this. I have to sit down and think about it. That’s how I am, I don’t want to do anything sporadic. I want to sit down and think it all out, and it really just came down to how I wanted to be remembered and what do I want to do.”
Simpson, who spent three years as a backup at Alabama before becoming the starter last year, went to his former coach, Nick Saban, for advice.
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“I actually talked to Coach Saban about this,” Simpson said. “The things he was talking about were, do you want to play football in college, or do you want to play football professionally? And he was like, ‘Take the money out of it, take the rounds out of it, what do you want to do next year?’ And without a doubt, without hesitation, I said, ‘I want to play professional football.’ And he was like, ‘Well, there’s your answer.’ It was something that I’ve always dreamed of, and I felt that I was ready to take that next step and be the face of a franchise and lead a locker room.”
It’s a different world in football now that players might make more money with another year in college than their annual average salary will be in the NFL. Now, players have to think about whether the NCAA or the NFL will be more lucrative. NIL deals have changed both college football and pro football.
Photo Credit: @CanesFootball via X // redshirt senior wideout Cooper Barkate catches a 29-yard touchdown from Darian Mensah during Miami’s Spring Game on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Cobb Stadium.
After more than three months removed from a devastating national championship loss, over 5,000 fans gathered at Cobb Stadium on Saturday morning for a first look at Miami football’s 2026 squad.
The annual spring game offered exactly that: a mix of evaluation and entertainment. Miami structured the day differently this year, using the first half for position drills, including passing, red zone and agility work, before transitioning into a live scrimmage in the second half.
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Much of the attention centered on new quarterback Darian Mensah, a transfer from Duke. While he started slow, Mensah quickly settled in and showed why he’s expected to lead the Hurricanes this fall.
Mensah connected multiple times with familiar target Cooper Barkate, his former teammate at Duke. The duo picked up right where they left off, highlighted by a 29-yard touchdown to the back corner of the end zone. Mensah added a 33-yard touchdown pass to Daylyn Upshaw and a five-yard score to Cam Vaughn, another transfer addition.
Calm in the pocket and effective under pressure, Mensah extended plays and delivered accurate throws, flashing the kind of playmaking ability Miami fans have been eager to see.
With several returning starters such as wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher seeing limited action, opportunities opened for younger players to contribute. RB Jordan Lyle capitalized, breaking off multiple strong runs and showing quick footwork in the open field.
Behind Mensah, Miami showcased its quarterback depth. Judd Anderson, Luke Nickel and early enrollee Dereon Coleman all saw snaps, with Nickel making a strong case for the backup role. Coleman flashed potential but remains a longer-term development piece.
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Photo Credit: @CanesFootball via IG // Miami quarterback Darian Mensah performs handshake with redshirt senior wideout Cooper Barkate during Miami’s Spring Game on April 18, 2026, at Cobb Stadium.
Defensively, Miami may have delivered the most impressive performance of the day.
Despite losing key contributors such as Ruben Bain and Akheem Mesidor to the NFL, the Hurricanes controlled the line of scrimmage and limited offensive production. Defensive lineman Damon Wilson, a transfer from Missouri, along with tackles Justin Scott and Jarquez Carter, consistently disrupted plays. Scott’s quickness stood out against the run, while Wilson applied steady pressure off the edge.
In the secondary, Boston College transfer Omar Thornton, along with JJ Dunnigan and Xavier Lucas, contributed to multiple stops with tight coverage and physical tackling.
The offensive line, featuring several new faces and only one returning starter, showed flashes but remains a work in progress. Freshman Jackson Cantwell has big shoes to fill with Sisi Mauigoa declaring for the NFL draft. At 6-foot-8, 330 pounds, Cantwell acted as a brick wall protecting his QB and winning the battle at the line. However, the second team offensive line had some struggles, with two bad snaps in a row.
For many in attendance, however, the spring game was about more than just performance. It served as a rare opportunity for families and fans to connect with the program in a more personal setting, celebrating players beyond what they show on the field.
“It’s him fulfilling his dream and doing what he wants to do,” said the grandmother of wide receiver Milan Parris. “He’s my oldest grandson, and I’m just over the moon. I’m extremely proud of him.”
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While the defense may have controlled much of the action, the day ultimately served as an early glimpse into a team balancing new talent, developing depth and high expectations.
With nearly five months until the season opener against Stanford on Sept. 4, Miami leaves the spring with promise and plenty to still refine.
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