The attendees included those positioned to acquire multi-million-dollar works of artβinternational billionaires, major museum directors, art advisors, and consultantsβbut also a strong contingent of artists, writers, and curators. The exclusive guest list spanned five continents, novice and veteran fairgoers, and both the high-net-worth and creative classes alike.
Naturally, a premiere event in such a visually-oriented industry produced some great street style. So, this First Choice, we asked a cross-section of the bustling crowd a straightforward, but vital question: What are you supposed to wear to an art fair?
From left: Lauren Halsey wears a thrifted shirt; Balenciaga jeans; necklace from the Slauson swap meet. I got this knockoff designer skirt online somewhere. In my art, it's very important to have a construction of myself and my aestheticβto be against the stereotype of normal fashionβbecause the body is politique and the private is politique. I got them on the Internet. I fix them to the best of my ability every few weeks. I buy Volcom tank tops on Amazon because, when I was growing up in and around Montreal, I always thought the skater boys wearing them were the hottest.
We come to the fair to see, but at the same time to be seen. As a gallerist, I like playing around with looking professional with a little bit of something extra. Ader Error is a Korean brand that I love; they do classics with a twist. I forced Gucci to give me these sunglasses. After a show, I emailed them and said I need to have them. I probably would have worn a short sleeve today. At an art fair, I think it's important to be actually quite invisible.
From our standpoint, you want to be able to slip in and out. Whenever you're going in for a marathon art week, flat shoes are absolutely essential, but finding stylish comfortable shoes is hard, as you can see [laughs].
