Design Miami
Design Miami operates a five-city global circuit of collectible-design fairs (Miami, Basel, Paris, Seoul, LA) plus a digital marketplace connecting leading design galleries with high-net-worth collectors, luxury-brand sponsors, and design professionals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersMiami, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Design Miami does
Design Miami (legal entity Design Miami II, LLC) operates the world's leading international circuit of collectible-design fairs, complemented by a digital marketplace for gallery-to-collector transactions. Founded around 2005 and headquartered at 3841 NE 2nd Avenue, Suite 400, Miami, Florida, the company runs annual fairs in Miami Beach (22nd edition scheduled for December 2026), Basel, Paris, Seoul, and Los Angeles. Its core products are the physical Design Miami Fairs; the Gallery Platform (shop.designmiami.com) marketplace facilitating inquiry-based and direct purchases of collectible design from participating galleries; and editorial extensions Forum Magazine (long-form design journalism) and Design Talks (archived video conversations with designers and collectors), plus Curios (tastemaker-curated design explorations).
The business model combines three revenue streams: (1) fair attendance and exhibitions revenue, comprising undisclosed gallery exhibitor fees for booth space, VIP passes, and event access across five cities; (2) marketplace commissions on transactions between galleries and buyers processed through shop.designmiami.com, where items range from approximately $5,000 feature pieces to multi-million-dollar works, with payments accepted via Stripe (fiat) and Coinbase (Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC); and (3) brand partnerships and sponsorships with luxury houses such as Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Range Rover, Swarovski, Kartell, and COVA, who fund installations and activations in exchange for access to HNW collectors. Customer segments span HNW collectors (primary), design galleries (primary B2B), luxury brands (sponsorships), and interior designers/architects.
The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, operates with 11–50 employees, and serves markets in the USA, France, Switzerland, and South Korea. Technology is limited to standard third-party integrations (Stripe, Coinbase, Convelio for shipping logistics); no proprietary AI/ML or platform APIs are exposed.
Design Miami firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Design Miami
- Legal name
- Design Miami II, LLC
- Website
- https://designmiami.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Design Miami operates a five-city global circuit of collectible-design fairs (Miami, Basel, Paris, Seoul, LA) plus a digital marketplace connecting leading design galleries with high-net-worth collectors, luxury-brand sponsors, and design professionals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Design Miami industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Collectible Design Fairs & Marketplace
- NAICS
- Art Dealers (459920), Art Dealers (45992), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Event Design, Decor & Styling (HSACAAAB), Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)
Keywords
Where Design Miami is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Miami
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Design Miami business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fair Attendance and Exhibitions: Revenue generated from gallery exhibitor fees, VIP passes, and event attendance at physical fairs held in Miami, Basel, Paris, Seoul, and Los Angeles.
- Marketplace Commissions: The platform facilitates sales between galleries/sellers and buyers, earning commissions on completed transactions. Sellers pay fees for listing items and DM retains commissions from sales.
- Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships: Partnerships with luxury brands (Range Rover, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, etc.) who sponsor events and create activations at fairs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Gallery Exhibitor Fees |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Marketplace Items |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Design Miami product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Design Miami operates a global fair and marketplace platform for collectible design, running flagship in-person fairs in Miami Beach, Basel, Paris, Seoul, and Los Angeles alongside a digital marketplace (shop.designmiami.com) where leading galleries list museum-quality historic and contemporary design pieces. The company serves galleries, collectors, luxury brands, and design professionals through curated exhibitions, marketplace transactions, editorial programming via Forum Magazine, and brand activations and sponsorships.
Product overview
Design Miami operates as a unified platform combining in-person exhibitions and digital marketplace for collectible design. The core offerings include the Design Miami Fairs (held in Miami Beach, Paris, and Basel) which serve as the flagship exhibition events, and the Gallery Platform (shop.designmiami.com) which functions as a digital marketplace for galleries to sell collectible design. Supporting these are Forum Magazine (editorial content featuring design articles and conversations), Design Talks (archive of video conversations with design luminaries), Collections (curated thematic selections), and Curios (cutting-edge design explorations curated by tastemakers). The platform connects collectors with historic and contemporary design through galleries, partners, and educational content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Forum Magazine: An editorial platform featuring articles on design collecting, masterworks, design legends, and conversations with design and art world luminaries.
Products and services
- Design Miami Fairs The flagship physical exhibition series for collectible design, held annually across Miami Beach (22nd edition in December 2026), Paris (4th edition at L'hôtel de Maisons, October 20-25, 2026), Basel, Seoul (August 31-September 6, 2026), and Los Angeles. Each fair features curated gallery exhibitions, brand activations, and Design At Large installations connecting collectors with historic and contemporary design. Galleries pay exhibitor fees to participate.
- Gallery Platform (Design Miami Marketplace) The digital marketplace (shop.designmiami.com) where world-leading galleries offer collectible design items for sale and buyers can browse, purchase, and submit inquiries directly with sellers. Supports fiat payments via Stripe and cryptocurrencies via Coinbase, with shipping logistics handled through Convelio integration. Items range from thousands to millions of dollars per piece, with featured collection pieces such as the IRTHI x Nada Debs Multi Purpose Boxes priced at $5,000.
Quantifiable outcome
- Design/decorative arts market reached $172 million in H1 2025, up 20.4%
Companies that use Design Miami
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Design Miami technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Design Miami partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Range RoverflagshipExclusive Luxury Automotive Partner. Range Rover sponsors Design Miami events with modernist design philosophy aligning with collectible design aesthetic. Partnership includes automotive displays and brand activations at fairs.
- Louis VuittonflagshipLong-standing partnership since 2012 for Objets Nomades collection exhibition. Louis Vuitton presents Objects Nomades Exhibition and Estúdio Campana Celebration at Design Miami.Paris 2024.
- FendicoreItalian luxury fashion house that has commissioned collections from designers at Design Miami. Notable collaboration includes The Shapes of Water by Sabine Marcelis (2018) and ænigma collection by Lewis Kemmenoe (2024).
- SwarovskicoreSwarovski Designers of the Future Award presented at Design Miami Basel 2017, supporting emerging designers in the collectible design space.
- Dean & DelucaminorStage by architect Ole Scheeren at Design Miami 2016. Luxury food and retail partner for fair hospitality.
- Maison Perrier-JouëtminorFrench champagne house featuring Metamorphosis installation by Andrea Mancuso of Analogia Project at Design Miami 2019.
- HSBCminorCollectors Lounge designed by Fernando and Humberto Campana at Design Miami 2008. Banking partner for collector services.
- AirbnbminorSobremesa installation by Pedro&Juana at Design Miami 2016, exploring hospitality and cultural exchange themes.
- SHoP Architectscore2016 Design Visionary Award winners for Flotsam & Jetsam installation. Architecture firm creating site-specific installations at Design Miami.
- Miami Design DistrictcorePink Beasts installation by Fernando Laposse at Design Miami 2019. Local partner in Miami's luxury design district, co-locating with Design Miami headquarters area.
- Thom BrowneminorCurated Design At Large program at Design Miami Basel 2017, featuring large-scale design installations by the American fashion designer.
- FornasetticoreMilanese atelier presenting Engraving Reflections at Design Miami.Paris 2024. Features limited edition trumeau furniture and archival vases with hand-engraved glass.
- SCADcoreOfficial University Partner. SCAD debuts commissions by alumni including Trish Andersen, Bradley Bowers, Lærke Lillelund, and Eny Lee Parker at Design Miami.Paris 2024.
- MycoWorks and ParagonecoreMycelium Muse: Discover Reishi™ collection featuring interior design objects crafted from mycelium (fungal roots) by seven designers including Sophie Dries and Anna Le Corno.
- Sèvres x Mobilier NationalcoreFrench national manufacturers presenting works of Ettore Sottsas and Éric Gizard with scenography by Charles Zana, reviving the French ensemblier tradition.
- Saint-LouisminorFrench crystal manufacturer presenting Chamade collection by Pierre Marie at Design Miami.Paris 2024.
- COVAcoreOfficial Food & Beverage Partner. Pasticceria COVA Montenapoleone 1817, an LVMH Maison, provides all-day dining service at Design Miami.Paris including breakfast, lunch, and Milanese aperitivo.
- RuinartminorOfficial Champagne Supplier for Design Miami.Paris. Maison Ruinart provides champagne service throughout the fair.
- KartellcoreOfficial Furniture Partner. Italian furniture manufacturer providing seating and furnishings for fair spaces. Known for creative workshop approach combining designers with industrial production.
- Basic.SpaceminorPresenting Partner for Design Miami.Paris 2024. Obsessively curated digital marketplace supporting the fair's digital presence.
- Cadogan TateminorOfficial Shipping Partner for Design Miami.Paris 2024, providing fine art logistics and shipping services for art and design transport.
- WSJcorePremier Media Partner providing editorial coverage and media support for Design Miami.Paris 2024.
- DezeencoreMedia partner providing design journalism coverage of Design Miami.Paris 2024 through editorial content and media partnership.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Design Miami competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Salon Art + Design: The Salon Art + Design is a New York-based fair focused on collectible design and decorative arts, featuring vetted galleries of historical and contemporary design. It directly competes with Design Miami in the same collectible design vertical, serving the same gallery and collector ecosystem.
- 1stDibs: 1stDibs is a leading online marketplace for luxury furniture, fine art, jewelry, and fashion from vetted dealers and galleries. It directly parallels Design Miami's shop.designmiami.com marketplace in connecting collectors with galleries for collectible design transactions, and competes for the same UHNW buyer audience.
- Art Basel: Art Basel operates the world's most prestigious art fairs in Basel, Miami Beach, Paris, Hong Kong, and Doha. Both companies run global fair circuits connecting galleries with collectors; Art Basel's Miami Beach edition is held in the same city as Design Miami's flagship, and both target the UHNW collector base, making them direct competitors for sponsorship and exhibitor mindshare.
- Collectible Brussels: Collectible is a Brussels-based fair dedicated to 21st-century collectible design, featuring curated galleries focused on limited-edition and unique contemporary design. It targets the same collector base and gallery ecosystem as Design Miami, particularly the contemporary design segment.
- PAD (Pavilion of Art & Design): PAD is a London and Paris fair for 20th-century decorative arts and design, blending historical and contemporary pieces. It directly competes with Design Miami in Paris and targets the same design collector audience with vetted galleries.
Emerging players
- Artsy: Artsy is an online art marketplace and editorial platform connecting collectors with galleries and auction houses. While primarily focused on fine art, Artsy has expanded into design and competes with Design Miami's digital marketplace in offering online access to gallery inventory.
Broad incumbents
- Maison & Objet: Maison & Objet is a twice-yearly design and lifestyle trade show in Paris serving the broader interior design and decoration industry. While broader in scope (including mainstream decor), its Paris edition and Paris Design Week overlap with Design Miami Paris for design-conscious buyers.
- Frieze: Frieze operates major art fairs in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Seoul (Frieze Seoul launched 2022) plus a media platform (Frieze magazine). Frieze Seoul directly overlaps with Design Miami Seoul, and Frieze LA overlaps with Design Miami LA, making them direct competitors in shared geographies.
- TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair): TEFAF operates fairs in Maastricht and New York covering fine art, antiques, and design, with rigorous vetting of exhibitors. It competes with Design Miami in the high-end collectible design segment and shares the UHNW collector audience, particularly through TEFAF New York.
- Christie's and Sotheby's (Design Sales): Christie's and Sotheby's both operate significant design and decorative arts auction departments, including marquee sales featuring collectible design from the same designers and estates shown at Design Miami. They compete for the same UHNW collector budget and serve as alternative transaction venues for the market Design Miami facilitates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Design Miami social profiles
Digital presenceDesign Miami financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Design Miami leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Design Miami funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Design Miami M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Design Miami
What does Design Miami do?
Design Miami operates a global fair and marketplace platform for collectible design, running flagship in-person fairs in Miami Beach, Basel, Paris, Seoul, and Los Angeles alongside a digital marketplace (shop.designmiami.com) where leading galleries list museum-quality historic and contemporary design pieces. The company serves galleries, collectors, luxury brands, and design professionals through curated exhibitions, marketplace transactions, editorial programming via Forum Magazine, and brand activations and sponsorships.
Is Design Miami a public or private company?
Design Miami is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Design Miami founded?
Design Miami was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Design Miami based?
Design Miami is headquartered in Miami, United States, in the North America region.
How does Design Miami make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fair Attendance and Exhibitions are the primary driver. The others are marketplace Commissions and brand Partnerships and Sponsorships.
Who are Design Miami's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Salon Art + Design, 1stDibs, Art Basel, Collectible Brussels and PAD (Pavilion of Art & Design). Artsy is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Maison & Objet, Frieze, TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair) and Christie's and Sotheby's (Design Sales).
Does Design Miami have an API?
No public API is recorded for Design Miami.
What industry is Design Miami in?
Design Miami's product category is Collectible Design Fairs & Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAL, Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design, with a secondary code of HSACAAAB, Event Design, Decor & Styling. Its NAICS code is 459920 and its SIC code is 7900.