Miami is one of those uniquely American cities unlike any other in the US, thanks to a robust community of Hispanic and Caribbean residents, avenues of sunbaked Art Deco buildings along endless beaches and a palpable energy coursing through the sweltering subtropic air that can only be described as “a vibe”. It’s a rich cultural landscape that functions as a character in and of itself, often seen in a supporting role throughout modern history. And make no mistake: a city like Miami doesn’t simply fade into the background. 

The extraordinary coastal sprawl, nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and swampy Everglades on the southern edge of Florida, was dubbed the Magic City in the late 19th century. No one actually calls it that, but Miami does seem to have an otherworldly charm that attracts a constant influx of artists, athletes, musicians, moguls, political kingmakers and outcasts alike. Perhaps it’s the beaches (they’re OK), the food (arepas, ropa vieja, tres leches, all incredible), or the nightlife (and you thought the days were hot). Honestly, that could describe a tourist trap anywhere cruise ships go. What sets Miami apart from any other place on Earth is simple: style.

Now, you’re probably thinking, of course, MR PORTER would make this all about fashion. But just spend a minute in Miami and you’ll quickly see that the city exudes a natty sensibility all its own. To help illustrate the point, we compiled some of the most enduring moments of style and, yes, a little magic from Miami’s storied past.

The tuxedo-clad gentleman you see seated at the counter on the night of 25 February, 1964, started his day as a 22-year-old boxer named Mr Cassius Clay. The man taking his picture is none other than Mr Malcolm X. It’s a candid snapshot that captures a moment in time with significant multitudes. By the next morning, Mr Clay would embark on a mythical journey under a different name: Mr Cassius X, a moniker that would eventually become Muhammad Ali, heavyweight champion of the world. 

Mr Ali spent much of the 1960s training at the fabled 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach (you might recall the iconic photo of Mr Ali and The Beatles taken there). Miami also served as the venue for Mr Ali’s landmark bout against Mr Sonny Liston, which has since become the stuff of legend. The lead up to the match gave us the famous “float like a butterfly” line and the hours following the fight were immortalised in this image and in the recently released film One Night In Miami, which dramatises the interpersonal dynamic between Messrs Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown on that fateful evening. While there’s plenty of admirable style crammed into this corner of the Hampton House Motel – there’s not an underdressed man in sight – it was the substance of a single evening in Miami that echoed across the civil rights movement, sports, music, movies and American history. 

Here, we have what will unequivocally be our spring 2021 look, private jet not included. Nothing personifies the opulence of Miami and its vantage point at the crossroads of Latin music like Mr Julio Iglesias taking off on his 1986 North America tour wearing a blindingly white cable-knit sweater, matching tapered cargo trousers and aviator sunglasses of his own design. Though the look drips confidence, it’s worth noting that this particular period of Mr Iglesias’ career was relatively challenging for someone who had sold more than 100 million records, performed more than 2,200 live concerts, and released 57 albums in seven languages. 

At the time, Mr Iglesias was still trying to make an impression on the US, despite already conquering the rest of the world and releasing his first English-language multi-platinum breakthrough record just two years prior. With Miami as his adopted home and an album called America under his belt, Mr Iglesias set out to experience the American Dream for himself and on the way paved the way for generations of Latin crossover artists who would shape the culture in their own right.

In the mid-1960s, the phrase “Clapton is God,” scrawled in bad graffiti, became a meme well before memes were even a thing. Music scholars can debate the merits of that statement ad nauseam, but there’s no denying Mr Eric Clapton now sits comfortably atop the pantheon of great rock guitarists. Back then, the years following the spray-painted credo marked a rather low point in Mr Clapton’s life. He floated aimlessly for a bit after Cream disbanded, starting a supergroup here, playing in Mr John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band there. There were flashes of brilliance, to be sure, but Mr Clapton didn’t officially make a full-fledged comeback until he landed in Miami. 

Mr Clapton laid down some serious tracks at Criteria Studios, Miami’s hometown hit factory that saw Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” and Mr James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good)” recorded within its walls. As for Mr Clapton, he recorded “Layla” and the chart-topping 1974 album 461 Ocean Boulevard, which featured a little number titled “I Shot The Sheriff”. And though his denim-on-denim outfit on the cover might not be very forgiving in Florida’s suffocating climate, Mr Clapton certainly looks the part of a rock god.

The mental image you have of any man in the 1980s is a direct result of Miami Vice, the smash-hit television series starring Messrs Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas. Broadcast from 1984 to 1990, the show revolved around the action-packed adventures and wily antics of two impeccably dressed undercover detectives working the – you guessed it – vice division. But no one really remembers what happened on Miami Vice. They remember the clothes.

Every week, millions of viewers tuned in to see detectives Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs tear through Big Fit after Big Fit in the span of a single hour-long episode (48 minutes if you discount the commercials for New Coke and Nintendo). What followed was the prolific and 100 per cent real “Miami Vice effect” that resulted in men across the US wearing double-breasted Giorgio Armani jackets (sleeves rolled up, natch) over pastel T-shirts, breezy linen slacks, espadrilles, Ray-Bans and a perpetual five o’clock shadow. Yachts and Ferraris were the hottest accessories. Radio stations played “In The Air Tonight” practically on loop. For better or worse, it all became emblematic of Miami’s glitzy aesthetic and unrivalled excess. 

If you thought the “Miami Vice effect” ended with the 1990s and the rise of grunge, you are mistaken. The recurring visual elements of the 1980s pop up every time the words “nostalgia” or “retro” are thrown around these days, from lo-fi vaporwave playlists on YouTube to season three of Stranger Things. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that Miami’s very own NBA team started repping pink and turquoise Day-Glo graphics on their uniforms.  

The Miami Heat debuted the City Edition jersey in 2017, calling the line “Vice”. It was an instant fan favourite and something of a morale boost in the wake of a rough spell. The Heat is known for its loyal fanbase, and rightfully so. The team earned back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013 under the lead of the Big Three: Messrs LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Then Mr James announced he was returning to Cleveland in 2014, Mr Wade decamped to Chicago in 2016, and the franchise set its scopes on rebuilding. Mr Wade eventually made his return to Miami in 2018, rallying the Heat to the first round of playoffs and proving, once and for all, that there’s no shame in wearing pink. 

No one embodied the golden age of Magic City quite like Mr Frank Sinatra. You might not immediately associate Ol’ Blue Eyes with Miami as you would New York or Las Vegas, but like many folks who sang for their supper in the Big Apple, they eventually end up in Florida. Mr Sinatra was a frequent guest of the famed Fontainebleau Miami Beach, a luxury hotel recognisable from films such as Goldfinger, Scarface and The Bodyguard. He began a regular stint of winter residencies in the 1950s at the peak of his fame, performing to a full house at the La Ronde nightclub. He also filmed his share of movies at the hotel, including A Hole In The Head, Tony Rome and Lady In Cement. 

Mr Sinatra was a fixture at the Fontainebleau and around Miami for decades, often spotted wearing pricey bespoke suits with his Rat Pack pals in the lobby or rehearsing on stage in a velour track jacket that screamed “vacation mode”. It was undoubtedly a personal paradise where the Chairman of the Board could work hard and play harder. 

A lot of great music has come out of Miami (see: Mr Eric Clapton above), and there’s no question locals Mr Rick Ross and DJ Khaled are responsible for a good deal of that catalogue. The two linked up on Mr Ross’ 2006 debut album, aptly titled Port Of Miami, which immediately landed on top of the US Billboard charts upon release and became certified platinum. Not a bad way to represent your hometown.

In fact, Mr Ross set out to chronicle the darker aspects of Miami typically hidden in the shadows of its mainstream, TV-primed veneer. It was audacious hip-hop containing bar after bar of heavy truths and relentless hustle that reflected a far grittier reality than the late-1980s Miami bass beats of rappers like 2 Live Crew. This isn’t to say Mr Ross eschews all the luxuries glorified throughout the five seasons of Miami Vice – he loves fancy sports cars and looks great in Versace. Mr Ross turned the American Dream on its head and conceived a tenable South Florida fantasy in the process. “To me, Miami is a special place,” Mr Ross said at listening party for Port Of Miami 2 in 2019. “We birthed some of the biggest hustlers and, I feel, the most ambitious people in the world.”