Lexus Returns to Design Miami/ as Official Automotive Partner; Design Exhibitor
07 Dec 2019
Luxury Automaker Supports Leading Design Forum and Brings Design Concept to Display Space
Lexus has joined the 2019 Design Miami/ fair as the official automotive partner for the second year, underlining the marque’s passion for design at the global forum for the most influential collectors, designers, curators and critics from around the world.
Lexus, as the brand that created the world’s first luxury hybrid in 2005, extended its support to the show’s sustainable theme with an all-hybrid fleet that chauffeured the fair’s VIP guests. Also new for 2019, Lexus brought the stunning LC Convertible Concept as part of the brand’s first commissioned installation for Design Miami/ with an exhibition titled SUNSHOWER. Rounding out its presence at the fair, Lexus continued the successful Lexus Art Series: Art and Innovation talks with Whitewall, now in its fourth year.
For the brand’s onsite installation, Lexus has responded to the fair's theme of “Elements: Water” by commissioning designer Nao Tamura to create an immersive, multimedia installation that evokes the wondrousness of this natural, outdoor phenomenon. SUNSHOWER was curated by Design Miami/ Curatorial Director Aric Chen and prominent Milan-based curator and author Maria Cristina Didero. The ethereal exhibition features the LC Convertible Concept, reinforcing the brand's commitment to omotenashi (hospitality), takumi (artisanship) and the indoor-outdoor philosophy of engawa. Guests are being invited to experience SUNSHOWER, relax in the space, use its charging stations, and sample Ooho, innovative water capsules made of edible seaweed extract.
“With Lexus design, nothing is accidental, and we believe that sense of thoughtful design is felt throughout the installation,” says Brian Bolain, General Manager of Lexus International. “The design goal of the LC Convertible Concept is the expression of ultimate beauty, and we are proud to display it amid such talented designers.”
From the rake of the windshield to the smooth contours of the rear decklid that houses the convertible top, every line on the LC Convertible Concept was drawn to evoke an emotional response. A stunning design from every angle, the LC Convertible Concept stands as an aspirational halo vehicle for the Lexus brand.
“Design Miami/ is pleased that Lexus has returned as our official automotive partner and is celebrating the brand’s commitment to innovation, beauty, and sustainability,” says Jennifer Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of Design Miami/. “Lexus' dedication to design excellence is unparalleled. With the SUNSHOWER exhibition and the all-hybrid vehicle fleet, the Lexus presence is felt throughout the fair in a way that feels organic to our mission as a global design forum.”
Furthering its commitment to innovation and sustainability, Lexus has partnered with Notpla to serve Ooho, the edible water droplets. Notpla is a company dedicated to creating advanced packaging solutions that disappear, naturally. The Ooho edible water droplets were previously a finalist in the 2014 Lexus Design Award and have been served at the London Marathon. For the first time they are available in the US, and Design Miami/ guests are able to sample the sustainable water solution at the Lexus booth at various times throughout the week.
Lexus and Whitewall Magazine have teamed up for the fourth year in a row bringing their ongoing discussion series to the official programming of Design Miami/. The series are taking place on site at Design Miami/, as part of the fair’s official programming. The unique series of four conversations feature an international group of global art and design leaders who will discuss key topics relevant to the creative space.
Participants including artist Troy Simmons, automotive designer Tadao Mori, curator Aric Chen, DJ Eduardo Castillo, and advisor Claudia Paetzold will discuss topics such as the design of future cities, the artist as disrupter, sustainability in luxury markets, as well as the transformative power of design.
"We are honored to have partnered with Lexus for the fourth iteration of the Lexus Art Series: Art and Innovation talks with Whitewall. We are excited to again hold this year's panels—focusing on the future of design, sustainability, and creative practices—at the esteemed location of Design Miami/," said Michael Klug, Whitewall's Founder, Publisher, and Editor at Large.
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About Lexus
Lexus launched in 1989 with a flagship sedan and a guest experience that helped define the premium automotive industry. In 1998, Lexus introduced the luxury crossover category with the launch of the Lexus RX. The luxury hybrid sales leader, Lexus delivered the world’s first luxury hybrid and has since sold over 1.5 million hybrid electric vehicles[1].
A global luxury automotive brand with an unwavering commitment to bold, uncompromising design, exceptional craftsmanship, and exhilarating performance, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of the next generation of global luxury guests and is currently available in over 90 countries worldwide.
Lexus associates/team members across the world are dedicated to crafting amazing experiences that are uniquely Lexus, and that excite and change the world.
About Design Miami/
Design Miami/ is the global forum for design. Each fair brings together the most influential collectors, gallerists, designers, curators and critics from around the world in celebration of design culture and commerce. Occurring alongside the Art Basel fairs in Miami, USA each December and Basel, Switzerland each June, Design Miami/ has become the premier venue for collecting, exhibiting, discussing and creating collectible design.
Design Miami/ is more than a marketplace for design, where the world’s top galleries gather to present museum-quality exhibitions of twentieth and twenty-first century furniture, lighting and objets d’art. Each show balances exclusive commercial opportunities with progressive cultural programming, creating exciting collaborations with designers and design institutions, panels and lectures with luminaries from the worlds of design, architecture, art and fashion, and unique commissions from the world’s top emerging and established designers and architects.
About Nao Tamura
Based in New York, Tokyo-born designer Nao Tamura is known for her multidisciplinary work imbued with subtlety, beauty and emotion. In addition to Lexus, she has created objects and installations for Issey Miyake, Established & Sons, WonderGlass and Artek, and is the recipient of numerous awards including a Good Design award from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and the ADI Compasso d’Oro International Award. Nao Tamura participated in the 2014 “Lexus Design Amazing” exhibition during Milan Design Week, as one of three international creatives to design an installation in Milan’s historic Circolo Filologic.
About Whitewall
Whitewall is an independent contemporary art and luxury lifestyle magazine. Published quarterly since March 2006, Whitewall has set new standards for high-end publications. The magazine aims to go beyond the stark white walls of the art gallery to reveal the personalities that shape the art world and other creative industries. In 2014, Whitewall launched the ultimate art fair companion, Whitewaller, a print and digital publication that offers insight into the global art calendar. Whitewaller is an easy-to-use city guide offering original content, practical fair and exhibition information, and listings of top restaurants, hotels, and shopping venues.
About Lexus Design Award
First launched in 2013, the Lexus Design Award is an international design competition that targets up-and-coming creators from around the world. The award seeks to foster the growth of ideas that contribute to society by supporting designers and creators whose works can help to shape a better future. It provides a unique opportunity for each finalist to work with a globally recognized designer as a mentor to create prototypes of their designs, and then exhibit them at one of the design calendar’s most important events.
[1] 1,567,242 as of June 2019