Pollock-splattered sneaker, Maison Martin Margiela ($530)

Always a treasure trove for standout garments from leading designers, The Webster kicks off spring with vibrant, colorful accessories that liven up any ensemble. “Bright colors and color-blocking were all over the recent runways,” says Webster owner Laure Hériard Dubreuil. “Strong and daring is the resounding message for spring.” Take, for example, a cherry-red clutch by Tom Ford; its lively hue adds dimension to an otherwise simple ensemble, and its pure croc print feels inherently Miami. Pair the clutch with the rare, haute-couture gold-and- raspberry Valentino dress for a high-fashion look. Also on-trend are statement accessories, like Gerard Tully’s animal-inspired jewelry. Not only are the pieces exceptional in their own right, but customers can create one-of-a-kind items via a made-to-order service.

Also at The Webster, for men, Balmain’s Spring collection presents an impressive lineup of short-sleeved overcoats, hand-woven jackets, and motorcycle trousers inspired by Miami’s Cuban culture. The garments emulate local surroundings, using raffia to create a texture similar to that of café chairs in Havana. Menswear focuses on an updated structure this season, such as the Valentino white notch-lapel suit the boutique will be carrying straight from the runway. The jacket’s slim fit and relaxed shoulder lend a contemporary relevance to the classic wardrobe staple. “Bright-colored accessories aren’t just for women,” Dubreuil adds, “so don’t be afraid to pair this sleek, monochromatic suit with Maison Martin Margiela’s Pollock paint-splattered sneakers. They’ll lend your look an unexpected, cool-boy flair.” The Webster, 1220 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-674-7899

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Exterior of the new Prada boutique in the Design District.

 

Floral silk clutches ($895 each).

 

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Prada’s sprawling 3,875-squarefoot space in the Design District opened just a few months ago, making the fashion house’s renowned ready-to-wear, handbags, iconic footwear, and accessories even more accessible to the well-dressed women of Miami. Complete with crystal tables and the label’s signature pale-green walls, the new location features several plush velvet sofas ideal for admiring the latest offerings. At the moment, shoppers will find feminine handbags, sunglasses, and platform sandals decorated with lively Pop Art daisies in black, white, and red. Miuccia Prada’s enchanting Spring collection has us positively charmed. 180 NE 40th St., Miami, 305-438-2280

Danny Jelaca at his South of Fifth salon.

Confident in his talent as a stylist, Danny Jelaca is forthcoming about his so-called shortcomings: being too generous and oftentimes extravagant. The Aveda-trained stylist—and a Libra with a penchant for beautiful things—poured himself into every detail of his luxurious, eponymous South of Fifth boutique salon, and hopes it’s an alternative to the chaos of bigger shops. Jelaca spent eight months building the space from the ground up, applying his yen for extravagance to items such as the peachskin-fabric robes bearing his name, ergonomic shampoo chairs (complete with booster cushions for petite clients), and recessed lighting that both eliminates shadows and renders hair color accurately. His search for high-quality products landed him an exclusive deal with Leonor Greyl’s line of all-natural, sulfite-free products. As for customer service, Jelaca ups the ante by offering micro-mist steam treatments that include a scalp, neck, shoulder, and hand massage with all-natural massage oils to clients. (The hour-long service is $100 with a blow-dry.)

“I don’t like leaving anything out,” he says of his creative process with the salon. Part of that involved personally designing all the salon’s furniture and leasing parking spaces for clients in the neighborhood, which only has metered parking. He rented a station at a nearby salon while waiting for permits. “It was a very humbling experience, but I told myself I had to do it all to learn what’s lacking,” reveals Jelaca, who has focused on cutting and styling for 17 years. He took reservations on his cell phone, shampooed clients, applied color, and cut and styled.

Still, he subscribes to the idea of specialization and employs a team of five young stylists, each of whom is experienced in a different aspect of hairdressing—even shampooing. “I believe that talent trickles [down] from the top. At [Stella Salon, Johanna Stella] was the talent at the top; she gave us all a chance and showed us all the way,” he says about the now-defunct salon in Miami Beach where he got his start. Jelaca endeavors to foster talent and provides classes and training sessions for new employees. “I feel like I have a lot to give back, and I think that comes out in the hair [I do],” he says.

Though managing a business was just an afterthought for many years, the “scary decision” is one of which Jelaca is proud, and he’s learning to navigate its intricacies every day. “I feel like a million bucks,” he says. “You know when you’re doing the right thing so you don’t have any reservations? That’s how I feel.”

Classic duffle bag ($3,150).

Restructuring an iconic French fashion house is certainly no easy task. So when the newly appointed creative director of Yves Saint Laurent, Hedi Slimane, announced he would be reconceptualizing the aged label under the new moniker Saint Laurent this year, the whole fashion world was clamoring to see the debut collection. As promised, Slimane’s chic lineup of sheer blouses, slender trousers, wide-brimmed hats, and gypsylike gowns demonstrated strong examples of youth, freedom, and modernity today. Hoping to continue this newfound, progressive esprit into a revolutionary retail concept, the Saint Laurent stores feel distinctly futuristic, featuring black and white marble walls, industrial concrete, and intricate furniture made of gold, silver, mirror, and glass. The 2,200-square-foot Saint Laurent boutique, the first in the country to feature the revamped design, will carry the women’s ready-to-wear and women’s accessories collections, including vermeil jewelry, handbags, and footwear. Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., 305-868-4424

FROM LEFT: Harper one-piece swimsuit ($158); Isabella bandeau bikini top ($89) and Valentina bikini bottom ($74)

Eberjey’s Ali Mejia and Mariela Rovito have been creating feminine lingerie and beachwear for more than 16 years, so when the time came to choose a location for their first brickand- mortar shop last summer, the dynamic duo didn’t look far. “We could have opted for New York or Los Angeles, but in the end, we had a strong personal connection to South Miami,” Rovito explains. “We are based here, and we thought it was going to be very important to be here so that we could be hands-on and learn from the proximity of the store and the whole process.” The 350-square-foot space offers Eberjey’s best-selling pieces such as the Heather lounge-wear set, the Colette chemise, and classic swimwear, alongside new styles including the Harper, an exceptionally flattering one-piece, and the Marjorie strapless cover-up. “We are off to a great start, but we are looking forward to an even better spring season.” Debuting last month, the Valentine’s Day collections are also noteworthy, featuring pajama sets, tunics, and a Theodora lace bralet, which, Rovito admits, “is the star of the show. It’s neon pink, but it’s understated in an Eberjey sort of way.” 7209 SW 57th Ct., South Miami, 305-763-8455

FROM LEFT: Nicholas Kirkwood for Peter Pilotto silk heel ($1,295); Ocean-blue suede heel ($1,100)

The fashion world has been abuzz about Nicholas Kirkwood for the past several months: The 32-year-old shoe designer scored the highly coveted task of designing footwear for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, took home the British Fashion Awards’ Accessory Designer of the Year Award for a second time, and debuted a devilishly stylish collection of men’s shoes during last month’s men’s Fashion Week. Not unlike his British compatriots, Kirkwood’s design aesthetic is innovative—albeit radical—and his eponymous shoe line is known for its intricate embroidery and dramatic silhouettes. “I design for the girl who appreciates an architectural construction, someone who doesn’t necessarily follow the norm or what they’re being told to wear in the fashion magazines,” he says. For spring, the collection features a highly conceptualized wave motif, iridescent stones cheekily resembling sea foam, and a generous amount of colored metallics. “The color palette is made up of very vibrant, pastel colors reminiscent of early ’60s Palm Beach,” Kirkwood explains.

Miami’s Art Deco architecture appears not only in the collection’s bold hues, but also in geometric cutouts, sculpted heels, and zigzag patterns. In addition to Kirkwood’s signature sky-high stilettos and ladylike flats, the label is debuting a new 55mm heel. “Last year was really high or flat, but this season, we are introducing a new heel height. It is a balance between fashion and comfort. It is very hard to make a mid-height heel appealing, but I think this structure will really appeal to the fashion girl and to the function girl,” asserts the designer, who will make a personal appearance at Saks Fifth Avenue at Bal Harbour Shops February 6. Standout styles include a bright-blue open-toe slingback with an aqua wave spanning each side, and a black and white cuff stiletto with a basket-weave toe-box and similarly colored beaded laces. Saks Fifth Avenue, Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., 305-865-1100

Amanda Tamis in her Pilates studio

Consider it a Noah’s Ark of healing: Amanda Tamis’s P2 Pilates, which opened in August inside Miami Beach’s U-Fit Health and Performance gym, fits exactly two of everything: two Reformer machines, two Cadillac Converters, two Polestar-trained instructors, and a practice that artfully combines both traditional Pilates and physical therapy exercises. “My partner and I joke sometimes that it takes two of us to teach an exercise,” says Tamis, who shares the space with Karen Schachter, a vinyasa yoga and Pilates instructor who, like herself, trained at Polestar Physical Therapy & Pilates Center.

“I was overweight as a kid, and in high school I got into working out,” says Tamis. She eventually went to Cornell University as a sculpture major, but fitness remained a part of her life. Tamis discovered Pilates while working in a gym in Santa Barbara, California, after college. In those days she was a step instructor and personal trainer, but Pilates helped her regain her core strength and get back into shape following the birth of her now 11-year-old twins. “I feel all lined up, like everything is in place. I don’t have pain,” she says. “I feel like I should, like my joints are aligned.”

That experience led her to use Pilates in a therapeutic setting. For two years, she helped patients with spinal, hip, knee, or shoulder injuries as a Pilates instructor at South Florida Spine Institute’s Pilates rehabilitation program at Mount Sinai Medical Center. “My background is physical therapy, so I felt as though I had a lot to give,” she says.

Tamis realized that although most of her patients had improved physically, they still needed a place where they could work out safely—from seniors who have specific needs addressed in a custom exercise regimen to people who have been discharged from a hospital but still have medical conditions to look out for. “The way I teach makes a 65-year-old woman feel like she can come in for an hour of exercise and not have issues,” she says of her style.

With a clientele ranging in age from 20 to 80 years old, Tamis finds it crucial to modify workouts carefully. Using different pieces of equipment, including the Cadillac, Reformer, Wunda chair, ladder barrel, and spine corrector, she is able to precisely control the client’s efforts, benefits, and risks. “Everything starts to hurt after 40, and you just can’t work out the way you used to,” she says with a laugh.

Tamis herself is showing no signs of slowing down. She teaches anywhere up to eight hours a day, five days a week, and still makes time to run, spin, and lift weights. She follows a Paleo diet, and is teaching her three young children and husband (local Mark Tamis, senior vice president of guest operations at Carnival Cruise Lines) to eat healthier, too. “I got into working out years ago,” she says. “It’s a lifestyle for me.”

Light denim studded slipper, Del Toro ($375)

Originally a men’s-only footwear label, Del Toro has evolved into a full-fledged line of accessories with an impressive reputation for merging fashion and art. In the fall, the brand debuted its Artist Series, a collaboration with Miami artists on limited-edition styles for Wynwood Art Walk. Del Toro then recently revealed another creative installation by local and international artists to fête the launch of its first boutique. The shop showcases leopard-printed sneakers for women, color-blocked suede wing tips for men, brightly colored woven belts, baseball caps, and patterned socks, as well as a striking collection of leather goods, including backpacks, wallets, and tech cases, that will launch soon. 2750 NW Third Ave., Ste. 22, Miami, 305-571-8229

Shirt, Armani Exchange. Jeans, Diesel. Watch, Rolex. Shoes,
Steve Madden

Argentina-born Siciliano has been tattooing since age 15. Today, his body art empire includes shops like Unfamous Tattoo Culture, and he also designs tattoo equipment via Fallen King Irons.

Describe your style: “Simple, leaning toward minimalist designers—Hugo Boss, Kenneth Cole, Calvin Klein.”

Favorite watch? “Rolex Oyster Perpetual, Milgauss. It’s clean yet edgy with its green crystal and ‘thunderbolt’ second hand.”

Any other accessories? “I am not a fan of overdoing it. Other than my watches, I wear a white-gold replica tattoo-machine necklace that one of my artists designed for me.”

Tangara bib necklace, Swarovski ($850).

A combination of white lacquer, stainless steel, crystal, and mirrored accents make up Swarovski’s Crystal Forest, a glittering wonderland of fashion jewelry, watches, and home accessories. Designed by Tokujin Yoshioka, the Japanese artist who took home Design Miami’s third Designer of the Year Award in 2007, the incandescent space’s textured walls appear to be reflective prisms, and are complemented by two one-of-a-kind Schonbek chandeliers—a tribute to the singular Art Deco architecture of Miami. The luxury label’s boutique will stock all of the brand’s classic crystal items, as well as the Spring/Summer 2013 collection of exotic green, fuchsia, turquoise, and lilac baubles inspired by a tropical paradise. Capturing the vibrant spirit of Miami, the collection includes the bold Trema cuff, which features embossed, golden leather resembling reptile skin; the Toya necklace, finished in a lively, aquatic color palette; and the Tangara bib necklace, a geometric collar that executes the current tribal trend brilliantly. 734 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, 305-538-4877
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