There was an infectious energy afoot during this year’s Miami Grand Prix. Tourists and natives alike flocked to activations, afterparties, dinners, and more spanning Brickell, Wynwood, and Miami Beach to get in the spirit for the race which featured notable drivers including Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, and more. One company in particular took over a space and lent its energy to it: HUGO. On Friday evening, ahead of Sunday’s Formula 1 race the brand launched a substantial pop-up space to kick off the weekend entitled HUGO GARAGE.
Since F1 is all about high-powered cars the Wynwood pop-up included a car shop theme throughout and was filled with an assortment of stations. If you were attending the event briefly, you could walk away with a customized HUGO hat emblazoned with custom studs or other garage-inspired accessories. While there motosport fans could also leave with customized collaborative HUGO x RB T-shirts.
An arcade-style racing experience was one pivotal part of the activation too. While there, F1 supporters could participate in a remotely controlled race featuring mini cars and an actual miniature track. Elsewhere within the space, there were plenty of areas for photos, a stack of HUGO tires in a specific section provided such an opportunity. In another area, there was a gigantic screen that featured graphics on a loop for those who chose to opt to pose in front of the screen.
It wasn’t until later in the evening that the vibrant spirit of Miami truly poured into the pop-up. For anyone who has frequented the city during spring and beyond, there’s a raucous energy that is a part of the appeal of the Southern city. That energy was capitalized on especially when Boiler Room TV’s set began. For a few hours, sets by Puerto Rican singer and rapper Ivy Queen, El Gusano, V1FRO, Sel. 6, and La Goony Chonga. Enmeshed with the vibrant spirit of the city, the event came to life in a unique way as guests enjoyed the music even amid a bit of rain.
What was most compelling about the debut of the HUGO GARAGE was the mixture of guests who attended. As a peeping wallflower it was fulfilling to take in the influencers including Nathan Hopkinson and Alani Noëlle who were outfitted in logo-heavy HUGO pieces, but also the Miami natives who wore an array of leather and mesh pieces. Some wore clothing reminiscent of what one sees while out in late summer evenings in Bushwick and even Soho (ultra-short mini skirts and nearly translucent outerwear). And that was a welcome surprise.
Below take a look at what ensued on Friday evening at HUGO’s GARAGE during Miami’s Grand Prix weekend.
