TOP DRAWER FURNITURE!

Design Miami/ describes itself as a global forum for design. It is a platform for both historically important and contemporary pieces. Last month, galleries from across the globe assembled for the design show's sister event in Basel to display their precious wares in the brand-new Herzog & de Meuron-designed halls of the Messe Basel

Jetting in to view what was on offer - which included Maison des Jours Meilleurs, a 1956 prefabricated house by Mr Jean Prouvé (restored, shipped and then assembled inside the fairgrounds by Galerie Patrick Seguin) that sold within minutes - were collectors, industry chiefs, designers, architects and enthusiasts. Notable attendees included Mr Leonardo DiCaprio, Mr Peter Brant, Ms Stephanie Seymour, Mr Roman Abramovich and Mr Kanye West. The latter, well known to be a fashion, architect and design buff, provided an impromptu "listening party" for his new album Yeezus, complete with chairs by Mr Rick Owens, whose limited-edition design work was shown by Salon 94. 

The galleries that make up the fair fall into two camps: those that deal in historical design - mainly 20th-century work from the likes of Messrs Prouvé, Jean Royère, Carlo Mollino, Alvar Aalto, Jean-Michel Frank, Mr Giò Ponti and Ms Eileen Gray - and those that "edit" works from contemporary talent and produce limited-edition collections usually comprising no more than 12 pieces. 

Design Miami/, which runs alongside the Art Basel fair, also provides satellite exhibitions, special commissions and exposure opportunities for young talent. It is peppered with talks, tours and openings in and around the city - and plenty of dinners and parties. This year's even included a fire station's 20th birthday celebration. Yes, a fire station, albeit one of the first completed buildings by architect Ms Zaha Hadid, just minutes over the border in Germany at Vitra Campus. 

Check the slides, below, to see eight designs that really caught our attention. 

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FASHION DEBUT: KATIE HOLMES & CHRISTOPHER CICCONE!

Katie 'The actress turned designer' Holmes and Christopher 'I would love to be Manolo Blahnik' Ciccone aka Madonna's little brother, made their fashion debut this season!

Katie Holmes made quiet a debut! Along with and Jeanne Yang, they showed their Holmes & Yang label for the first time at New York Fashion Week.

Under the media glare which accompanied her recent divorce from Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes made a surprisingly demure debut at New York Fashion Week. Opting for a close-up presentation of just 14 oufits instead of a catwalk show, the actress was on hand to talk journalists through her collection for Holmes & Yang. It was range which, both in style and given the context, suggested caution from the actress turned designer.

Leather bomber jackets, blazers and camisoles were all teamed with Manolo Blahnik (why not Christopher Ciccone, he loves him anyway!?) heels, the same shoe that Holmes' friend Victoria Beckham opted for in her collection this week.

Madonna's little brother, Christopher Ciccone, introduces 'The Ciccone Collection' his debut into the world of rubbery footwear at London Fashion Week.In collaboration with a rubber maker in Slovakia, who approached Ciccone in March, he has created 36 styles for women, men and children.

"Art, then form and then function" inspire the creative direction of his wellies, pool slides and flat lace-ups. ''I started this whole process by emptying my closet and just looking at shoes from a whole different perspective," Ciccone told The Telegraph, "how are they made, why did I buy them, how much were they; I never really looked at shoes like that before."

SIX DESIGNERS YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Best New Menswear Designers in America 2012

Exclusive First Look of their collections, coming soon!

Ovadia & Sons

Founded: 2010

Designers: Ariel and Shimon Ovadia

The Vibe: The brothers Ovadia are Brooklyn twins with a penchant for high-end suiting and all the trappings that come with it.

Inspiration: "Black-and-white photos, because you don't get texture and colors. We saw one of Hemingway skiing and made the Nordic sweater we imagined he was wearing.

Mark McNairy New Amsterdam

Founded: 2008

Résumé: Current creative director at Woolrich Woolen Mills; previous design director at J.Press.

The Vibe: McNairy kick-started his line by injecting color into a staid pair of bucks. By the time he got to pants and shirts, he'd found a formula: Take something basic and shake all the boring out of it. (Sometimes that means zebra prints and digital camo.)

Inspirations: "I draw from all of American sportswear— military, workwear, athletic. And then I mishmash it together. I have to stay within a framework with Woolrich, but I just make stuff I want to make with my own line."

How to Wear Zebra-Print Shorts: "Wear the same thing you'd wear with a pair of khaki shorts."

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