The Basel nightlife machine is back and bigger (and, consequently, easier to overbook) than ever. In the Design District—which, if you’ve not visited in a while, has completely transformed into a retail mecca rivaling the likes of Rodeo Drive and Mount Street—Jonathan Anderson hosted a reception at Loewe, feting his debut exhibition in the space. “This is the first store I ever designed,” he said, wearing signature passport cuff jeans, “and I always wanted to have a gallery element.” The show, curated by Anderson and supported by the Loewe Foundation (Loewe’s in-house organization “safeguarding heritage in the fields of poetry, dance, photography, and architecture”), features four artists: ceramicist Lucie Rie, photographer Paul Nash, painter Rose Wylie, and sculptor Anthea Hamilton. The eclectic mix, interspersed about the 18th-century granary that Anderson had shipped in from Spain to anchor the store (“We have it for 10 years . . . then we have to give it back”), nicely complemented an edited selection of Puzzle bags and leather elephant coin purses. Of the vibe: “It’s about opening up the world to what Loewe stands for, how it bridges what was founded in 1846 and how I see it today,” said Anderson.
Next, it was over to Giorgio Armani a few doors down, which was celebrating both its grand opening and the book launch of Giorgio Armani. The impressive tome—bursting with photographs of the designer, his dresses, and his orbit—boasts a poignant cover: Armani himself, age 2, in 1936, eyes as blue as ever. After a quick glass of champagne, some guests then made their way to the Design Miami’s Design Visionary Award cocktail and dinner, honoring the Swiss industrial designer Yves Béhar. Underwritten by Panerai, the event drew attendees like Emmanuel Perrotin, Todd Eberle, and Nell Diamond.
As is Basel custom, the night grew wilder, the lines at the doors longer. Back on the beach, Jeremy Scott threw a dinner and party at The Surf Lodge at The Hall hotel. “We just want to have fun,” he said. “We made pool toys of the blow-up shoes I did for Melissa. So I thought, ‘Go to the pool, have some food, walk it off, and have a dance party!’ ” In Scott’s world, fun is always the cause célèbre—Grey Goose–doused cranberry drinks, beats by The Misshapes, and a Paris Hilton cameo included. Off-White’s Virgil Abloh had “just landed, I’m here to deejay tomorrow,” and was wearing his collaboration T-shirt with Chrome Hearts, sold exclusively at Alchemist on Lincoln Road. Rose McGowan, Peter Brant II, and more soaked up the revelry, and as the rain started to pour, a group of die-hards covered the DJ booth in plastic to keep the dance-off going. Leigh Lezark, seeking shelter after the deluge (and in a chic retro-TV-printed Jeremy Scott dress), summed it up best: “Can’t stop, won’t stop.”