Miami, FL
$1.2 million handbag is surprise star of Miami Art Week
Dropping $1.2 million during Miami Art Week isn’t that unusual. At Art Basel, which is just one of the 20+ fairs taking place in Miami taking place through Sunday, Picasso’s “Couple with Cup” has a price tag of $30 million — and the festivities kicked off with the $4.75 million sale of a David Hammons painting.
But Evens Saint Clair is charging $1.2 million for what he calls an “art sculpture.” Others call them handbags.
The artist and diamond-mine developer’ big-ticket tote, dubbed “La Reine,” should come with a global travel itinerary.
Saint Clair traveled to Japan for two years to meet with local artisans for the stunning tote, including a famed woodworker known as Mr. Kyoto. The handcrafted Japanese wood frame is overlaid with Italian leather and pieces of rare silk kimono fabric dusted with gold leaf and strengthened by pearl shell. There are over 18 carats of diamonds placed throughout — from the front porcelain tile badge to the gold-plated “feet” of the bag to the multiple strands of bejeweled gold chains, which also boast emeralds and pearls.
“I’m bringing the art of craftmanship back,” Saint Clair told The Post. “Nowadays everything is just sent to China to be made as cheaply as possible, but true luxury isn’t mass produced. I have invested years of travel, research and innovation into these pieces and the accompanying luxury cases because I believe in beauty, happiness and giving back.”
Each bag takes up to a year to produce and passes through Japan, Guinea, Italy and Turkey before arriving in Saint Clair’s hometown of Bal Harbour, Florida, where the final embellishments are added.
For “Wicked” fans, there’s a $670,000 green alligator edition with a jade circular badge encircled by sparkling diamonds.
One of Saint Clair’s lowest priced bags ($110,000) is the “Pangea,” which features lacquered bamboo from Japan, a glittering gold chain flecked with diamonds, and python skins from Miami’s Everglades ecosystem, which is being overrun by the invasive snake.
Saint Clair says that his handbags are savvy investments with gold, diamonds, and gemstones rising in value. As such, each bag includes a custom storage case that is fingerprint activated. Saint Clair designed these unique wood veneer biometric safes himself, inspired by collector’s cigar cases from the Dominican Republic, which he sent to his wood maker in Japan as inspiration.
While the pricey bags are being launched at Miami Art Week with a splashy party at the St. Regis Hotel in Bal Harbour Saturday night, Saint Clair has privately sold several of the costly purses to well-heeled women in Guinea, where he develops diamond and gold mines.( He would not divulge clients’ names due to privacy and security issues.)
Saint Clair’s journey to luxury started far from the glittering world he now inhabits. Born in Haiti and raised in New York and Chicago, he faced bullying, gang violence and poverty. A scholarship to St. Thomas University in Miami became the turning point that led to a career in nightlife promotion.
In 2008, Saint Clair changed gears and moved to Guinea to develop gold and diamond mines.
Coming from impoverished beginnings, Saint Clair is determined to make a difference. Ten percent of earnings from his bags and artwork will be donated to multiple charities including Best Buddies, Make-A-Wish, Saint Jude, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
The burgeoning artist is also exhibiting four paintings at Red Dot, one of the art fairs surrounding Art Basel in Miami, through the Agora Gallery. Next February, his mixed media artwork — which utilizes Urushi lacquer paste and resin — will be featured in a special exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris.
Miami, FL
Wynwood artist heartbroken after vandals destroy his iconic street art
As hundreds of thousands of people flock to South Florida for Art Week, one local artist says his heart is broken after vandals tore apart artwork he spent years creating.
Michael Addis, 73, is a fixture in the Wynwood community. His colorful “faces” have become a signature sight on light poles and trees throughout the neighborhood.
“I found an art that can keep my mind straight,” Addis said.
For nearly two decades, Addis lived homeless on the streets of Miami, battling a crack cocaine addiction. He credits art for his sobriety – and for saving his life.
“I invested a lot of money and a lot of time – time and ten years worth of time – well over a couple thousand dollars,” he said.
Artwork ripped apart
Over the weekend, Addis says someone ripped apart his artwork on at least three poles and trees along Northwest Second Avenue, leaving behind only remnants.
“It makes me feel empty, it makes me feel terrible,” Addis said.
Community outraged
Friends and local businesses say they can’t understand why anyone would destroy Addis’ art.
“This guy is a legend in the neighborhood,” said Skam Dust, a friend. “Now I’m seeing this, and I’m even trying to figure out why would this happen?”
ToeJam, a Wynwood business, features Addis’ art inside and outside its building.
“When they go ahead and have his artwork on one of the poles and some New Yorker comes in town, or some other business comes down here, and they take his artwork off the walls – this is what Wynwood was! This is what Wynwood is! It’s disrespectful,” said owner Judd Allison.
A message to the vandal
Addis had one emotional plea for the person responsible.
“Please – just leave me and my art alone,” he said through tears.
Wynwood Walls told CBS News Miami they have video of the man ripping down the artwork. Addis says he plans to keep creating and putting his faces back up.
Miami, FL
TSA agent arrested in Miami child porn investigation allegedly confesses, according to arrest report
Miami, FL
Ole Miss Leaves A Lane for Miami’s First Road Win Since January 2024 in ACC/SEC Challenge
For the first time since Jan. 24, 2024, the Miami Hurricanes (7-2) have won a road game, and it comes when the ACC needed it most against the Ole Miss Rebels (5-3), defeating them 75-66.
Not only was this a massive win for the program, but it was also a wake-up game for one of the Hurricanes’ star players.
However, Miami started the game poorly. Five quick minutes and five quick turnovers stifled the Canes in the early goings against the Rebels. It was sloppy both ways with questionable fouls and non-calls all the same, but soon the Hurricanes started to settle in.
It started with Shelton Henderson. The five-star freshman has been rechallenged time and time again by head coach Jai Lucas to take that step to be the player that he needed to be, and against the Rebels, his sleeper agent activated.
He crashed the boards, attacked the rim, and even chirped back and forth with some of the students in the Pavilion in Oxford, Miss. He did everything he could to have a career night, and he did.
Henderson finished with a career-high 18 points, nearing a double-double with nine rebounds, five assists, and two monster blocks in response to the nagging Rebels faithful. He was just the Energizer Bunny for the Canes, as his energy was passed around like the 15 total assists the team had.
That sparked the Hurricanes to flex their offensive capabilities in the first half, shooting 8-15 from beyond the arc, sparking the Rebels in every area of the game. Moreover, defensively was where the Canes made their money.
After the win over Ole Miss, Miami has jump in KenPom from No. 46 to No. 38, now has a top 20 defense in the country and projected to go 22-9.
— Justice Sandle (@Justice_News5) December 3, 2025
As the season goes on, the country will get so used to what Tru Washington is doing that his defensive performances will become numbing. Jai Lucas challenged him to be one of the best defensive guards in the country, and he took it to heart.
Washington finished the game second in scoring with 17 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. Tre Donaldson also played outstandingly, leaning more into his leadership role as a guard, guiding this team to victory.
What was better was that they didn’t need Malik Reneau to score 20 points to win. UM’s big man finished with 15 points, six rebounds, three stocks, but had four of those five early turnovers in the opening minutes. He eventually settled, as did the team.
The Hurricanes will now return home to face Southern Miss in another out of conference matchup on Dec. 6.
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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