At Design Miami, Perrier-Jouët brings its Art Nouveau roots to life in Lost Time, an exhibit by London-based design studio Glithero featuring draped strings of beads in an atmosphere resembling a damp champagne cellar.

“It’s not a commercial event; there’s no branding inside,” said Stéphanie Durroux, international brand director. “It’s a great place to talk to the art and design community and show them that our heritage is not just stuck in the past.”

Basel newcomer Bugatti partnered with French artist Bernar Venet to turn the Grand Sport car into a unique work of art. On display at the Rubell Family Collection in Wynwood, the orange-and-black version is covered with mathematical equations for the aerodynamics and power-to-weight ratio that make it the fastest car in the world.

The Venet car is for sale with an estimated price of more than $5 million. But sales are not the real purpose of the event for Bugatti.

“We don’t look at it as we have to sell X amount of cars this weekend,” said John Hill, sales director of North and South America for Bugatti. “It’s about building relationships with existing customers and meeting new people that might fit our customer profile.”

Cartier decided this year not to have an official sponsorship and focus on more intimate events at its new store in Miami’s Design District. Clients were invited to view the Naturellement collection featuring exotic flowers and animals. This is the first time the majority of the jewelry, which ranges in price from $15,000 to nearly $1 million, has been displayed in the United States.

“It’s more of a hospitality approach,” said Emmanuel Perrin, president and chief executive officer of Cartier North America. “Our clients travel the world and we want to be where they are. We want to use the week to showcase our creativity and take advantage of the opportunity to meet with both our current clients and potential clients who are in Miami.”

For Perrier sparkling water the goal is about connecting with younger consumers (25 to 35), which is why the brand is the official water sponsor for PULSE Miami and created the dramatic sculpture at the new Lords South Beach, a larger than life installation featuring a black dog by artist Desi Santiago. The brand also launched an active social-media presence for the first time this year on its Facebook page, Societe Perrier.

“We really have just started engaging with younger consumers,” said Michele Vieira, U.S. brand manager for Perrier. “They have seen the brand, but perhaps they haven’t thought of it for a long time. It’s about pushing the brand persona — we’re daring and a little cutting-edge, while still being chic.”