There is a particular kind of evening that only the Hamptons in July can produce—one where contemporary art, collectible automobiles, live performance, beautiful summer dressing, and old-world luxury come together on a private Southampton lawn without any of it feeling forced.
The Art Affair, now in its fourth consecutive year, is exactly that kind of evening. Held on Friday, July 10, at the private Southampton estate of Igor Ger, the 2026 edition brought together collectors, artists, gallerists, entrepreneurs, tastemakers, and cultural figures for an evening that, in my view, represented something much larger than another event on the increasingly crowded Hamptons summer calendar. Walking through the estate, I found myself thinking about Monte Carlo.
Not because Southampton is trying to imitate Monaco—it isn’t, nor should it—but because the Hamptons today possesses a similarly powerful ability to bring wealth, culture, automobiles, fashion, real estate, art, gastronomy, and social influence into one extraordinary geographic destination.
The extraordinary concentration of wealth in the Hamptons has long made the East End one of the world’s most exclusive enclaves, home—permanently or seasonally—to billionaires, Wall Street financiers, technology entrepreneurs, real estate titans, Hollywood stars, celebrated artists, designers, and global business leaders.
Yet what makes the Hamptons remarkable is the way this immense wealth exists alongside an environment that remains remarkably pristine: magnificent private estates hidden behind hedgerows, historic villages, working farms, vineyards, and miles of Atlantic coastline with beaches that, in my opinion, rank among the most beautiful in the world. During the summer season, the region becomes an extraordinary international gathering place where guests arrive for polo matches, major art fairs, museum galas, philanthropic benefits, private estate dinners, automotive events, and some of the country’s most sought-after culinary experiences—while, behind the scenes, relationships are forged and significant business conversations and investment opportunities inevitably take shape.
Yes. For the 2026 Hamptons summer season so far, you could mention an impressive group of A-list names who have been reported at Hamptons events or spotted in the area, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sofia Vergara, Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber, Martha Stewart, Tom Brady, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Cardi B, Snoop Dogg, Travis Scott, Mike Tyson, Emma Roberts, Robert Downey Jr., Katie Couric, Neil Patrick Harris, Ciara and Russell Wilson. Alexandra Daddario and Alix Earle were also photographed at the Palm Tree Festival Hamptons 2026.
Michael Rubin’s 2026 White Party in Bridgehampton was an especially concentrated example of the Hamptons’ star power, with reported guests spanning Hollywood, music, professional sports and major business—including Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Brady, Jay-Z, Sofia Vergara, Martha Stewart, Travis Scott and prominent media executives
The retail landscape reflects this rarefied audience as well, with global luxury houses and American icons including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, and Gucci appearing alongside independent boutiques that capture a distinctly Hamptons sensibility; Gucci has even embraced the destination through Hamptons-themed products and destination-specific luxury storytelling.
For me, this combination of tremendous private wealth, cultural influence, natural beauty, discretion, and sophisticated commerce is precisely what makes the Hamptons so compelling. Few places in America can bring together billionaires and artists, Hollywood and Wall Street, international collectors and entrepreneurs, all while preserving the feeling that the beach, the farm stand, the art gallery, and the private estate are somehow part of the same extraordinary summer world.
The Hamptons, I believe, is emerging as America’s answer to Monte Carlo: distinctly American in character, yet increasingly international in reach. And this summer, that energy feels particularly strong.
The New American Riviera
For generations, the Hamptons has represented an idyllic escape from New York City. But to describe it today merely as a summer retreat is to underestimate what the East End has become.
From Southampton to Bridgehampton, Water Mill to East Hampton and Montauk, the region has evolved into an international summer crossroads. Finance meets fashion. Contemporary art meets collectible automobiles. Equestrian sport meets luxury hospitality. Technology entrepreneurs share tables with designers, artists, investors, media executives, philanthropists, and cultural leaders.
You can feel the economic engine moving. There is construction. There is investment. There are new businesses, ambitious events, packed restaurants, extraordinary automobiles moving along Route 27, and a steady flow of people arriving from New York and around the world. To me, there is something undeniably optimistic about it.
At a moment when conversations about the American economy can often become consumed by uncertainty, spending time in the Hamptons offers another perspective: one of entrepreneurship, creativity, investment, and tremendous ambition. The American economic engine, from my vantage point, feels alive and in full force here. And perhaps nowhere was that convergence more visible than at The Art Affair.
Where Art Meets the Automobile
The evening unfolded from 6 p.m. until well past 11, transforming Ger’s Southampton estate into an immersive cultural environment. What immediately caught my attention was the dialogue between the contemporary artwork and Ger’s collection of vintage automobiles. It was unexpected—and wonderful.
Fine art and classic cars might initially appear to occupy different worlds. Yet, placed together beneath the changing light of a Hamptons summer evening, the connection became remarkably clear. Both are objects of emotion. Both speak to design. Both depend upon proportion, craftsmanship, vision, and originality.
And both can transcend their functional origins to become cultural artifacts worthy of preservation and collection. A beautifully designed automobile can possess the sculptural presence of a work of art. Likewise, an extraordinary painting can capture the speed, tension, movement, and emotional energy we associate with great automotive design.
Here, the two worlds existed effortlessly together. It is precisely this kind of juxtaposition that makes the Hamptons so compelling today. Luxury is no longer confined to a single category. The contemporary luxury consumer moves fluidly between art, fashion, automobiles, travel, technology, hospitality, wellness, and experience. The Art Affair understood that.
A Vision Created Around the Artist
The evening was co-created by contemporary artist Eddy Bogaert and Maryam Zadeh, with Rad Roubeni joining as co-host.
I have had the pleasure of knowing Eddy Bogaert for roughly a decade, and during that time, I have watched his creative journey evolve with tremendous interest. In my view, Eddy represents a new generation of contemporary artists who understand that art extends far beyond the canvas. His work explores the intersection of abstraction, human emotion, and connection through bold color, layered textures, and expressive compositions, but what I have always found equally compelling is his ability to bring people together through art. Having exhibited internationally and cultivated a growing community of collectors and cultural enthusiasts, Eddy has translated that same creative energy into The Art Affair. As its founder and host, he has created a platform where artists, galleries, collectors, and creative leaders can meet, exchange ideas, and discover new talent in an environment that feels sophisticated yet genuinely engaging. After knowing Eddy for nearly ten years, it has been particularly rewarding for me to witness the evolution of his vision and to see The Art Affair become an increasingly important part of the Hamptons’ dynamic cultural landscape.
Bogaert’s own mixed-media practice moves between abstraction and raw emotional texture, and the philosophy behind The Art Affair is equally personal. He has spoken about creating the type of platform he wished had existed earlier in his career—a gathering where artists themselves remain central to the experience rather than becoming secondary to the social event surrounding them.
“The Art Affair is about bringing together extraordinary talent and creating meaningful conversations through art,” Bogaert told me. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate creativity, foster new relationships, and experience contemporary art in a dynamic and immersive environment.”
That statement stayed with me throughout the evening because it described precisely what was happening around us. People were not simply passing through a gallery opening. They were engaging. They were talking. They were looking. And, perhaps most importantly, artists and guests occupied the same environment in a way that encouraged genuine conversation.
More than two dozen artists and galleries participated in this year’s event, including Bogaert, Zadeh, Roubeni, Black Book Gallery, Yubal Márquez Fleites, Victor Gallery, Mazlish & Wright Contemporary, Kyle Black, Brett Loving, NotYourMuse, Jason Fox, Julia Beynenson, Ralph Ortiz, Jaja Goulbourne, Dolor, Nina Hurwitz, Renata Sheppard, Mike Dreeland, Sarkis, Deirdre Imus, Alejandro Glatt, Olha Svieshnikova, M. Stachio, Ben Bar Vakil, Mr. Ideaz, and Matthew Trujillo.
Works were presented within a tented pavilion and thoughtfully positioned throughout the grounds, encouraging guests to explore the estate rather than experience the exhibition through a predetermined path. That freedom of movement became part of the pleasure.
An Evening That Changed With the Light
The best luxury experiences often understand something that cannot be purchased: timing. The Art Affair evolved naturally as daylight disappeared over Southampton. Early in the evening, a harp-and-guitar duo performed on the patio as the grounds remained illuminated by golden summer light. There was an elegance to those first hours that felt wonderfully unhurried. Guests moved between artworks and automobiles, cocktails and conversations.
The atmosphere gradually shifted as evening arrived. Live sets from Lee Kalt and JehiahSax carried the energy forward, while performances from Edward W. Hardy and Stephanie Babirak added another dimension to the program. Among the evening’s most compelling moments was a live charcoal drawing performance staged directly on the stone patio.
For a gathering filled with conversation, music, and movement, it was remarkable to witness the atmosphere suddenly change. People stopped. They watched. For a few minutes, the creation of art itself became the spectacle. It was a reminder that despite all the glamour surrounding events of this nature, creativity remains most powerful when we are given the opportunity to witness it happening in real time.
Later, as darkness settled over the estate, a fire performance by Flambeaux provided a dramatic conclusion to the evening—a signature moment that returning guests have come to anticipate. The progression felt almost cinematic: golden light, music, cocktails, art, performance, darkness, and finally fire.
The New Language of Luxury
Throughout the evening, the beverage program moved seamlessly among guests, supported by sponsors including Alazani Estate Winery, Upstate Vodka, Reif Rum, Jaywalk Rye, Drink Black Mkt, Hello Honey Iced Tea, Mezcalum, X Factory, and Superior Sparkling, with the event produced in partnership with Rad Art NYC.
But what interested me most was not any individual luxury element. It was the collective experience. Luxury today is changing.
For a new generation of affluent consumers, luxury is increasingly about access, discovery, authenticity, community, and cultural relevance. It is about being somewhere interesting and meeting someone unexpected. It is about discovering an artist before everyone knows the name or having a conversation that continues long after the evening ends. The Hamptons understands this almost instinctively.
That is why I see a parallel with destinations such as Monte Carlo. The world’s great luxury destinations succeed because they create ecosystems. Monaco is not simply about yachts. St. Moritz is not simply about skiing. Cannes is not simply about cinema. In the same way, the Hamptons is no longer simply about beautiful homes and beaches.
It has become an ecosystem. Art fairs, polo, equestrian competitions, automotive concours, museum galas, philanthropy, private dinners, investment gatherings, fashion, luxury retail, hospitality, wellness, and nightlife now coexist within one of America’s most extraordinary summer destinations. The Hamptons has become a place where people come not only to escape—but to participate.
America, On Display
As an editor covering luxury, fashion, automobiles, culture, and business, I am particularly interested in what places reveal about the economic and cultural confidence of a country. This summer, the Hamptons feels confident.
America remains a country driven by entrepreneurs, creators, innovators, and individuals willing to build something new. That energy was present at The Art Affair—not as a political statement, but as a cultural one. Artists were exhibiting. Collectors were discovering. Entrepreneurs were networking. Brands were participating. Guests were traveling. Relationships were forming. Business and culture were moving simultaneously. That, to me, is the real power of the American economic engine. It is not simply a statistic on a financial report. It is the willingness to create, invest, gather, collaborate, and imagine what comes next. The Hamptons has become one of the places where that ambition is most visible.
A Night Worth Returning To
Organizers did not release a precise attendance figure, noting instead that this year’s turnout ranked among the strongest in The Art Affair’s four-year history. For an event built around intimacy rather than sheer scale, that may be the more meaningful measure of success. The Art Affair is expected to return to Ger’s Southampton estate for a fifth consecutive year next summer, with plans already underway for an expanded roster of artists and galleries. I look forward to seeing how it evolves.
There are countless events competing for attention during a Hamptons summer. The ones that endure are those that develop an identity of their own. The Art Affair is doing exactly that. What began as a gathering centered around contemporary art has become a compelling reflection of the Hamptons itself—a place where creativity and commerce, established luxury and emerging talent, American optimism and international influence increasingly occupy the same space.
On this particular July evening, standing among contemporary paintings, vintage automobiles, artists, collectors, and guests as music carried across a private Southampton lawn, the transformation felt impossible to ignore. The Hamptons is no longer simply New York’s summer playground. It is becoming an international stage. It is America’s summer salon. It is a meeting place for art, capital, design, culture, and ambition. And perhaps, in its own distinctly American way, it is becoming our Monte Carlo. If The Art Affair is any indication, the world should be paying attention.
Joseph DeAcetis is Editor of StyleLujo.com, covering international luxury, menswear, fashion, automotive culture, design, business, and the evolving global luxury marketplace.
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