Paper City Article

Inside the Head of Radha Arora

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:06:13 GMT

One of the world%26rsquo;s top purveyors of resorts and hotels has a brand-new man %26mdash; and he%26rsquo;s got credentials in spades. Meet Radha Arora, a 30-year force in the luxury-lodging biz and the new president of Rosewood Hotels %26amp; Resorts, based here in Dallas. He%26rsquo;s detail-obsessed (no rumpled drapes or specks of dust allowed); he%26rsquo;s dapper (he%26rsquo;s mad for Domenico Vacca and Ralph Lauren Black Label); and he%26rsquo;s droll (his sense of humor peppers every conversation). We sat down with the cool commander-in-chief to learn more %26mdash; a lot more. What did we uncover? Let%26rsquo;s just say you may want to work %26ldquo;Chardonnay Hour%26rdquo; into your routine immediately.

Welcome to Dallas! What have been the two biggest adjustments since moving here from Beverly Hills, where you were the regional VP and GM of the Beverly Wilshire? Dallas is a warmer and friendlier city, and the traffic is much better here.

Defining moments in your career?%26nbsp; The first is when I was appointed the youngest general manager in the history of the Ritz London. The second is, undoubtedly, being named president of Rosewood Hotels %26amp; Resorts.

How did you earn your first dollar? Pumping gas at a service station outside of London on the weekends %26mdash; somewhat fitting since I%26rsquo;m now living in the heart of oil-and-gas country.

Give us your take on luxury hospitality. What does it mean to you? Luxury is very personal, and I have exceedingly high expectations of service, setting and experience.
I recently read an unattributed quote that I wholly agree with: %26ldquo;The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweet taste of a low price has passed.%26rdquo;

What are you most looking forward to as president? Rosewood Hotels %26amp; Resorts is a remarkable brand and yet, in some ways, a sleeping giant.
I look forward to awakening the giant and expanding Rosewood%26rsquo;s presence around the globe.

Let%26rsquo;s talk style: How would you describe yours? My father was in the diplomatic service, and growing up I was privileged to spend time among diplomats and government leaders, where I would observe their presence: the way they dressed, the way they stood and the way they would interact. I noticed everything. Those experiences shaped
my own style %26mdash; which I%26rsquo;d simply call %26ldquo;European.%26rdquo;

Who%26rsquo;s a well-known man whose style you admire? Ryan Seacrest. It%26rsquo;s not just about how he wears his clothes %26mdash; he is stylish in every way. He%26rsquo;s articulate, artful and a bundle of energy

You%26rsquo;re quite the modern-day dandy. Which labels hang in your closet %26mdash; and why? Domenico Vacca [the Italian designer, with shops in New York, California and Florida]: He is a hidden gem, and his clothes personify European elegance and chic. I love Alexander McQueen%26rsquo;s winter wear and Tom Ford%26rsquo;s very classic yet modern designs. For traveling and casual wear, I%26rsquo;m usually in Ralph Lauren Black Label.

What%26rsquo;s a fashion mistake that you now regret %26mdash; and hope that any photos were destroyed? An Ed Hardy T-shirt.%26nbsp;

Now that you%26rsquo;ve had a few months to get your bearings, where in Dallas would we catch you dining %26mdash; and what do you order? Besides the Mansion, where I%26rsquo;ve had many wonderful meals since I%26rsquo;ve been here, I adore Nonna. The tortelloni of roasted porchetta with dried orange zest and fennel pollen is my current favorite. It%26rsquo;s sublime. I also really like Nosh and I get my sushi fix regularly at Nobu. I%26rsquo;m still living in the hotel, so I%26rsquo;m eating out a lot.

Three things you can%26rsquo;t live without:
1. My Chardonnay Hour, during which I drink a glass of my favorite chardonnay and enjoy my Chardonnay Hour playlist on my iPad (whenever I find time).
2. Watching the movie Love Actually several times during the holiday season. I know it%26rsquo;s quirky, but I love that movie.
3. My Tom Ford eyeglasses.

What would be the title of your autobiography? Am I The Only One??? I see rumpled drapes or dust on furniture or hear music that is unbefitting of its environment and I always think, %26lsquo;Am I the only one who sees this?%26rsquo; It might be the perfectionist in me.

What%26rsquo;s the best invitation you%26rsquo;ve ever received? An invitation to one of Clive Davis%26rsquo; pre-Grammy parties. I was star-struck.%26nbsp;

You have 24 hours in your favorite city. What city is it %26mdash; and what three things would you do there? I%26rsquo;d go to Paris and sip champagne at L%26rsquo;Avenue, sip champagne at the Hotel George V and sip champagne at the Plaza Ath%26eacute;n%26eacute;e.

Other than Rosewood Hotels %26mdash; of course %26mdash; what are your three favorite hotels, and why? The Hotel George V in Paris, because it%26rsquo;s quintessential Paris without the Parisian attitude and is run by a dear friend of mine; Claridge%26rsquo;s London because it is an iconic, glamorous London hotel; and the Park Hyatt Shanghai because it is visually stunning and was designed by my friend Tony Chi.

Who%26rsquo;s your favorite architect? Richard Meier.

For you, what%26rsquo;s a perfect day off? I work out, have coffee with my wife, watch English Premier Soccer, rest, enjoy Chardonnay Hour and have dinner with my wife and sons.

What%26rsquo;s the best advice you%26rsquo;ve ever received? Steve Jobs gave it to each of us: %26ldquo;You can%26rsquo;t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.%26rdquo;%26nbsp;

And the worst? %26ldquo;You%26rsquo;d be great in the medical profession.%26rdquo;

%26nbsp;

Images:

Radha Arora. Photography George Fiala.

The Ritz London

The Rosewood Crescent Hotel

Alexander McQueen Fall 2011

Ryan Seacrest, man of style

Arora%26rsquo;s stylish Tom Ford specs

Arora%26rsquo;s can%26rsquo;t-live-without ritual: Chardonnay plus playlist equals Chardonnay Hour

The Richard Meier%26ndash;designed Rachofsky House. Photo by Michael Bodycomb.

Oops!

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:45:47 GMT

So enamored were we of our model man %26mdash; make that animal-man %26mdash; in our October fashion feature that we flubbed his last name. He is Brandon Adams with the Kim Dawson Agency, and he did a dandy job as our foppish man-beast. Clearly, once we saw him in all those velvet jackets and pajamas, we couldn%26rsquo;t breathe %26mdash; much less type.

Image: Brandon Adams. Photo by Maxine Helfman.

Gilt-y Pleasures, Brooke’s Way

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:23:09 GMT

Our own PaperCity editor at large Brooke Hortenstine has been touted as many things: first lady of Dallas society, a charitable volunteer, an in-the-know editor. This month, Hortenstine adds Gilt City Insider to her tally of talents as she curates her first-ever flash sale on giltcity.com/dallas. The weeklong series of steals is quintessentially Brooke %26mdash; a roundup of favorites from her well-edited life. First, there%26rsquo;s a launch party Tuesday, December 6, at Alberto Lombardi%26rsquo;s La Fiorentina, toasting the swarm of packages that go live the next day. Among the offerings? A four-course dinner at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek set for Sunday, January 15, wherein Hortenstine and Mansion chef Bruno Davaillon will join to develop the menu. There will be blowouts from Jean-Philippe Salon; letter-pressed goodies from MissingQ Press; and tickets to a trunk-show f%26ecirc;te at V.O.D. with jewelry designer Pamela Love. Next up, on Monday, December 12, a second wave of must-haves begins at giltcity.com/dallas with everything from discounts at Drip Coffee, cool classes for tots at Kidville and a shopping credit at William-Christopher Design, owned by Hortenstine%26rsquo;s go-to decorators Ty Burks and Christopher Ridolfi. As for something for the social swells, our Brooke has wrangled exclusive passes to the Dallas Film Society%26rsquo;s Dallas International Film
Festival this April. Cue the popcorn.

Image: PaperCity editor at large and Gilt City Insider Brooke Hortenstine. Photo by Tim Boole.

My Afternoon with Thakoon

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 05:17:03 GMT

Quick! For the love of flowery print dresses and breezy tunics, get thee to Forty Five Ten. The darling fashion designer Thakoon Panichgul is posting up at FFT this afternoon (he%26rsquo;ll be there till 6 pm; the collection will be in store through Saturday) for a trunk show of his Spring/Summer 2012 collection %26mdash; a romantic, wearable fusion combining notions of the American west with Indian-inspired fabrics, colorful paisley prints and sparkly embellishments. I%26rsquo;m just back from seeing it all in person and chatting briefly with Thakoon over coffee on the T Room%26rsquo;s shady patio. We gabbed about everything from his latest inspirations to last night%26rsquo;s TWO x TWO First Look party to his particular obsession with acquiring drawings.

CG: As a first-time TWO x TWO attendee, what was your first impression of First Look?

TP: %26ldquo;I didn%26rsquo;t know what to expect. I had been to the [Rachofsky] house before and seen the permanent collection. But last night was truly amazing. It was exciting to see women wearing my clothes in that context. Some people put two and two together %26mdash; some people didn%26rsquo;t. It was very exciting.%26rdquo;

CG: And what will you wear to the TWO x TWO Gala tomorrow?

TP: %26ldquo;Oh just a simple, Jil Sander suit. I always just do simple.%26rdquo;

CG: What brought you to town the weekend of TWO x TWO, anyway?

TP: %26ldquo;When I was in town for Forty Five Ten%26rsquo;s 10-Year Anniversary party I took an art tour of Dallas. Cindy [Rachofsky] said, %26lsquo;you have to come to TWO x TWO.%26rsquo;%26rdquo;

CG: What kind of art do you collect?

TP: %26ldquo;I tend to collect illustrations and drawings from Europe %26mdash;%26nbsp;with drawings, you really get to see the artist%26rsquo;s hand. I just purchased a drawing by Pietro Ruffo, an Italian artist.%26rdquo;

CG: Aside from artful acquisitions, what%26rsquo;s on the horizon for you?

TP: %26ldquo;I%26rsquo;m going to continue to focus on the collection and the brand. It%26rsquo;s like raising a child. Now, it%26rsquo;s kind of in the kindergarten stage %26mdash; it%26rsquo;s not quite a baby anymore but you just have to keep nurturing it.%26rdquo;

CG: How about the short-term horizon? Where are you headed after Dallas?

TP: %26ldquo;I leave here on Sunday. Then I go to Tokyo, where I%26rsquo;m the creative director for a fine-jewelry line there called Tasaki. Then I%26rsquo;ll go to Shanghai.%26rdquo;

CG: Do you notice a change in how women wear your clothes in different parts of the world?

TP: %26ldquo;No, not really. People know style so much more now, globally. It%26rsquo;s all merging together in an exciting way.%26rdquo;

%26nbsp;

The Crystal Charity Ball Presents The Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 07:47:22 GMT

Photography: Maxine Helfman. Styling Assistant: Jane Sublett for Kim Dawson Agency. Makeup and Hair: Jeanna Doyle for The Campbell Agency. and Mateo Sifuentes for the Kim Dawson Agency. All fashion, shoes and hosiery from Neiman Marcus.

The 2011 Crystal Charity Ball Fashion Show and Luncheon

Clear your calendar for Thursday, September 8, at 10:30 am %26hellip; The scene is set at Neiman Marcus Downtown %26hellip; Welcoming you will be fashion show chairman Aileen Pratt and ball chairman Connie O%26rsquo;Neill ... On the second floor, The Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas and the Hall of Fame Honoree will walk the catwalk ... Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli will then send their feminine Fall 2011 collection down the runway ... A seated luncheon on the fourth floor will follow %26hellip; Tickets from $500 %26hellip; For information, ring 214.526.5868 or log onto crystalcharityball.org.
%26nbsp;
%26nbsp;

The 2011 Crystal Charity Ball

Pencil in Saturday, December 3, at 7 pm %26hellip; The luxe locale is the Hilton Anatole Hotel %26hellip; Ball chairman Connie O%26rsquo;Neill will receive hundreds of well-heeled guests anxious to experience the %26ldquo;%26lsquo;Tis the Season%26rdquo; theme %26hellip; Tickets from $5,000 per couple %26hellip; For information, dial 214.526.5868 or log onto crystalcharityball.org.%26nbsp;

Honorary Chairman Annette Simmons

%26ldquo;This will be a very special year for everyone involved, especially with Annette serving as honorary chairman.%26rdquo; %26mdash; Shelle Sills, vice president and general manager
of Neiman Marcus Downtown

%26nbsp;

The Crystal Charity Ball Fashion Show and Luncheon Chairman%26nbsp;

Mrs. Jack (Aileen) Pratt

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino.
Beauty Favorites
Perfume: Carolina Herrera
Lipstick: Maybelline Sweet Blush Lip Polish
Mascara: L%26rsquo;Or%26eacute;al Voluminous
Eye cream: Natura Biss%26eacute; Eye Contour Cream
Moisturizer: Natura Biss%26eacute; Diamond Cream
Sunscreen: Neutrogena
Shampoo: KeraGreen
Nail polish: Essie Ballet Slippers
Fall Favorites
Fashion collaboration: Valentino for Gap
Shoe: Christian Louboutin
Handbag: Valentino
Travel destination: New York City

The Crystal Charity Ball Chairman%26nbsp;

Mrs. Chris (Connie) O%26rsquo;Neill

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Kimberly McDonald earrings. Vendorafa bracelets.
Beauty favorites
Perfume: Bulgari Rose Essentielle
Lipstick: Chanel Rouge Coco Shine
Mascara: Chanel Inimitable Mascara
Moisturizer: Clinique Dramatically
Different Moisturizin sg Lotion
Sunscreen: Clinique Sun Protection
Shampoo: Toni %26amp; Guy Dumb Blonde
Nail polish: OPI Dutch Tulips
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: I don%26rsquo;t have a favorite, but I think it is a wonderful opportunity for the legacy of such great designers to live on and inspire a broader base in fashion.
Shoe: A classic pump
Must-see exhibition: Any exhibition at the Smithsonian while I am in Washington, D.C. %26mdash; I can wander around parts of it for days
Travel destination: Austin and Washington, D.C., to visit two of my children

Shop Talk with Neiman Marcus VP and Fashion Director Ken Downing and Valentino Designers Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri

In September 2007, after Valentino Garavani%26rsquo;s decision to retire from the fashion world, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli were appointed creative directors of the Valentino accessory lines. The success of the Roman duo%26rsquo;s fresh and original style has consolidated through the years, thanks to the unanimous approval it has received from the leading figures of the fashion world. They were appointed creative directors for Valentino in 2008.

Ken Downing: Knowing you designed the shoes and the gorgeous handbags with Mr. Valentino and had the ability to work with him, what%26rsquo;s one of your favorite moments with Valentino?
Pier Paolo Piccioli: I really like all the personal moments we shared with him, because he is a legend. He is %26hellip;
Maria Grazia Chiuri: An iconic man!
PPP: When we fitted the show together, we always asked him about Studio 54, Bianca Jagger riding the white horse, the kind of things you just read in fashion books.
PPP: There were some rules that we break now. Everyone knows Mr. Valentino would never show an evening dress with leather shoes, because they were not satin shoes. We%26rsquo;ll show an evening dress with crocodile pumps. For Mr. Valentino, this was crazy.
%26nbsp;

KD: I actually love the balance of a man designing with a woman because I think that is what makes fashion so modern for our times, that tension between the masculine and the
feminine, colliding together in a perfect divine moment, which we see every season when we come to the runway collection.
MGC: The last couture collection was a special moment for us.
PPP: I%26rsquo;m never satisfied. Never. But couture was a moment when we were confident of what we were doing %26hellip; very romantic and in the spirit of Valentino, but also very modern. Couture is the most modern thing you can do in fashion today, so if you translate this culture of couture in pr%26ecirc;t-%26agrave;-porter, I think fashion could have a new great moment.
KD: But do you use haute couture as a laboratory for the ready-to-wear?
MGC: It%26rsquo;s a very good school in some ways, because you test something that you can use after in pr%26ecirc;t-%26agrave;-porter.
PPP: Couture is really magic. It%26rsquo;s the place where dreams come true.

Mrs. Allen (Lee Ann) White

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Margot McKinney earrings.%26nbsp;

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Herm%26egrave;s Eau Des Merveilles
Lipstick: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupt%26eacute; #16
Mascara: Christian Dior DiorShow
Eye cream: Yves Saint Laurent Temps Majeur Yeaux
Moisturizer: Yves Saint Laurent Visible %26Eacute;nergie Complete Day Creme
Sunscreen: Clarins Sunscreen
Shampoo: K%26eacute;rastase Bain Miroir
Nail polish: Essie Fiji
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: The designers of Valentino
Shoe: Valentino and Christian Louboutin
Handbag: Louis Vuitton and Herm%26egrave;s Birkin
Travel destinations: Italy for our 10-year marriage anniversary

Mrs. Dwight (Claire) Emanuelson

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Nicholas Varney earrings. Alex Soldier bracelet.

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Chanel No. 5
Lipstick:%26nbsp; Chanel Rose Baby, but they have discontinued it and I am down to my last two tubes ... eeks!
Mascara: Est%26eacute;e Lauder MagnaScopic
Eye cream: Amore Pacific and Natura Biss%26eacute;
Moisturizer: ReVive
Sunscreen: Kiehl%26rsquo;s
Shampoo: Kevin Murphy Angel Wash
Nail polish: Essie Ballet Slipper
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: Zac Posen for Target
Shoe: Anything tall with a platform that I can walk in
Handbag: Valentino lynx-print
Must-see exhibition: Alexander McQueen at the Met %26shy;%26mdash; hope it%26rsquo;s still open
Travel destinations: Italy, Los Angeles, Nashville and Mexico

Mrs. Don (Ellen) Winspear

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Margot McKinney earrings and cuff.

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Angel by Thierry Mugler
Lipstick: Chanel
Eye cream: Chanel Sublimage
Moisturizer: Ren%26eacute;e Rouleau
Sunscreen: Elta MD
Shampoo: Fr%26eacute;d%26eacute;ric Fekkai
Nail polish: OPI Mimosas for Mr. and Mrs.
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: Versace for H%26amp;M
Shoe: Dries Van Noten pumps
Handbag: Chanel
Must-see exhibition: Jean Paul Gaultier at the DMA
Travel destination: British Columbia, Canada

Mrs. Gene (Nancy) Carter

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Vhernier earrings.

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Escada Desire Me
Lipstick:%26nbsp; Lanc%26ocirc;me L%26rsquo;Absolu Rose Essencea
Mascara: Lanc%26ocirc;me
Eye cream: Lanc%26ocirc;me Absolue Replenishing Eye Cream Repair
Moisturizer: Kiehl%26rsquo;s Rosa Arctica Anti-Aging Cream
Sunscreen: Kiehl%26rsquo;s
Shampoo: K%26eacute;rastase
Nail polish: OPI
Fall favorites
Shoe: Valentino
Handbag: Jimmy Choo
Travel destinations: A trip to Oregon to see my brother and to New York for a football game

Mrs. Don (Robyn) Conlon

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Margot McKinney earrings.

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Chanel No. 5
Lipstick: Chanel
Mascara: Chanel and Lanc%26ocirc;me
Eye cream: Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum
Moisturizer: Olay Regenerist Cream
Sunscreen: Elta MD
Shampoo: Pantene Pro-V
Nail polish: Anything that works for a French manicure
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel
Shoe: Valentino
Handbag: Valentino
Must-see exhibition: Alexander McQueen exhibit in New York
Travel destinations: San Antonio to see my son, Casey, who is in law school, and in the Park Cities to see my grandson Luke

Mrs. Charles (Pat) McEvoy

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Neiman Marcus earrings and bracelet.

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford
Lipstick:%26nbsp; Tom Ford Vanilla Suede and Chanel Glossimer in Constellation
Mascara: Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill
Eye cream: Sisley Sisleya Lip Contour Cream
Moisturizer: Sisley Sisleya Global Anti-Age Cream
Sunscreen: Elta MD
Shampoo: Fr%26eacute;d%26eacute;ric Fekkai
Nail polish: Chanel Black Pearl
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: Hussein Chalayan for J Brand and Stella McCartney for GapKids
Fall shoe: Valentino lace high-heel pump, Chanel charcoal ombre tall boot and Jimmy Choo red patent pumps
Fall Handbag: Nancy Gonzalez colorblock-stripe tote
Fall must-see: Jean Paul Gaultier at the Dallas Museum of Art
Fall travel: Boston, New York and Cabo

Mrs. Gil (Tricia) Besing

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Buccellati earrings and bracelet.

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Chlo%26eacute;
Lipstick: Chantecaille Sweet Pea and Revlon #130 Gloss
Mascara: Maybelline Great Lash Big
Eye cream: 3Lab
Moisturizer: SkinMedica Ultra Sheer
Sunscreen: La Roche-Posay Anthelios
Shampoo: Davines DeDe Delicate Ritual Shampoo
Nail polish: OPI Sweetheart
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: Missoni for Target
Shoe: Valentino bow-back riding boot
Handbag: C%26eacute;line Luggage Tote
Must-see exhibition: %26ldquo;The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier%26rdquo; coming to Dallas Museum of Art in November
Travel destination: Amalfi Coast

Mrs. Greg (Kim) Miller

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Margot McKinney earrings. Buccellati bracelet.

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Colette Musk Oil from Colette Paris or Opening Ceremony NYC
Lipstick:%26nbsp; Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Evasion and Chance
Mascara: Christian Dior DiorShow Black Out
Eye cream:%26nbsp; Neocutis Lumiere
Moisturizer: Tensage Advanced Cream
Sunscreen: Elta MD and Supergoop
Shampoo: Moroccan Oil and K%26eacute;rastase
Nail polish: Chanel Peridot Limited Edition
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: Versace for H%26amp;M
Shoe: Charlotte Olympia leopard bootie and
Herve Leger buckle shaft platform boot
Handbag: Valentino Rockstud Leather Tote and
Nancy Gonzalez Croc Burgundy Hobo
Must-see exhibition:%26nbsp; %26ldquo;The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier%26rdquo; at the Dallas Museum of Art
Travel destinations: LegoLand in San Diego and Horseshoe Bay

Mrs. Richard (Nancy) Rogers

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Margot McKinney earrings.

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Journey by Mary Kay, Un Jardin Sur le Nil by Herm%26egrave;s and Fendi%26rsquo;s newest scent, Fan di Fendi. Dior Addict, Bulgari Black and Jasmine Noir by Bulgari
Lipstick: Fancy Nancy Nourishine Lipgloss by Mary Kay
Mascara: Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara
Eye cream: Mary Kay Timewise Firming eye cream, and if I have a late night, MK Indulge soothing eye gel is a lifesaver in the morning.
Moisturizer: Mary Kay Intense Moisturizing Cream
Sunscreen: Mary Kay SPF 30 Sunscreen and the Mary Kay tinted Lip Balm Sunscreen in Natural or Blush
Shampoo: L%26rsquo;Or%26eacute;al Professional Intense Repair
Nail polish: Chanel
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: Target and Missoni collaboration and Versace for H%26amp;M
Shoe: I have to choose only one? Impossible! Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Lanvin or Ala%26iuml;a, and Rick Owens has a hot fall boot that I%26rsquo;m looking forward to wearing.
Handbag: I love Valentino%26rsquo;s new fall handbag line
Must-see exhibition: Alexander McQueen at the Met in NYC
Travel destinations: NYC, San Diego, Santa Barbara and San Jose del Cabo

Mrs. Vin (Pam) Perella

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Roberto Coin earrings. Vendorafa bracelets.

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Chanel No. 5
Lipstick: Laura Mercier
Mascara: Yves Saint Laurent
Eye cream: Guerlain
Moisturizer: Obaji and SkinCeuticals
Sunscreen: La Roche-Posay
Shampoo: K%26eacute;rastase
Nail polish: Essie Ballet Slippers
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: Missoni for H%26amp;M
Shoe: Valentino booties
Handbag: Prada
Must-see exhibition: Van Cleef %26amp; Arpel exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City
Travel destination: New York City

Hall of Fame Honoree:

Mrs. Neils (Elaine) Agather

What she%26rsquo;s wearing: Valentino. Nicholas Varney earrings. David Webb bracelet.

Beauty favorites
Perfume: Fracas
Lipstick: Tom Ford Pure Pink
Mascara: Chanel Inimitable
Eye cream: Chanel Sublimage
Moisturizer: Chanel Sublimage
Sunscreen: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 70
Shampoo: K%26eacute;rastase
Nail polish: Essie Ballet Slippers, but at Christmas, my favorite is Essie Lollipop.
Fall favorites
Fashion collaboration: Kermit Oliver, a postman from Waco, who designs the western scarves for Herm%26egrave;s
Shoe: Miu Miu with lots of glitter
Handbag: C%26eacute;line luggage tote
Must-see exhibition: The new Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, opening on 11.11.11
Travel destination: Dallas!

%26nbsp;

%26ldquo;I believe that life is inspiration. Of course I love to travel, see art exhibitions, films, music.%26rdquo; %26mdash; Valentino co-designer
Maria Grazia Chiuri

%26ldquo;But inspiration can also come from your daily life.%26rdquo;%26mdash; Valentino co-designer Pier Paolo Piccioli

%26nbsp;

The Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas Hall of Fame Honorees

1989%26nbsp; Mrs. James B. Francis *
1990%26nbsp; Mrs. Kenneth Altshuler
1991%26nbsp; Mrs. William A. Custard
1992%26nbsp; Mrs. R. H. Pickens
1993%26nbsp; Mrs. Jeremy L. Halbreich
1994%26nbsp; Mrs. Richard C. Strauss
1995%26nbsp; Mrs. Albert G. Hill Sr. *
1996%26nbsp; Mrs. David R. Webb Jr.
1997%26nbsp;%26nbsp; Mrs. Harold C. Simmons
1998%26nbsp; Mrs. Vance C. Miller
1999%26nbsp; Mrs. Sam T. Hamra
2000%26nbsp; Mrs. David F. Martineau
2001%26nbsp; Mrs. Jerry Jones
2002%26nbsp; Mrs. Robert H. Dedman
2003%26nbsp; Mrs. William P.Clements Jr.
2004%26nbsp; Mrs. Guy U. Griffeth
2005%26nbsp; Mrs. P. Mike McCullough
2006%26nbsp; Mrs. Carl Sewell Jr.
2007%26nbsp; Mrs. Charles J. Wyly
2008%26nbsp; Mrs. Lamar Hunt
2009%26nbsp; Mrs. Harvey R. Mitchell
2010%26nbsp; Ms. Marilyn Augur
2011%26nbsp; Mrs. V. Neils Agather

The Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas Hall of Fame

Mrs. V. Neils Agather
Mrs. Frank M. Aldridge III *
Mrs. Kenneth Altshuler
Mrs. Shy Anderson
Mrs. Barry Andrews
Ms. Kimberly J. Askew
Ms. Marilyn Augur
Mrs. Fritz E. Barton Jr.
Mrs. Buford P. Berry
Mrs. Kenneth Bilby
Honorable Nancy G. Brinker
Mrs. Dan Busbee
Mrs. David Carruth
Mrs. A. Baron Cass III
Mrs. Robert T. Chapman
Mrs. Elloine Sinclair Clark
Mrs. William P. Clements Jr.
Ms. Jeanne Marie Clossey
Mrs. Larry W. Collins
Mrs. Hugh Corrigan IV
Mrs. William A. Custard
Mrs. Robert H. Dedman
Mrs. Robert H. Dedman Jr.
Mrs. David Donosky
Mrs. Lowell C. Duncan Jr.
Mrs. William C. Duvall
Mrs. Thomas L. England
Mrs. Henry Exall Jr.
Mrs. Robert E. Farrow
Mrs. Randall Fojtasek
Mrs. Robert S. Folsom
Mrs. Gerald Ford
Mrs. James B. Francis *
Mrs. Robert J. Frank
Mrs. Todd A. Furniss
Mrs. William E. Gibbons
Mrs. Don Godwin
Mrs. Oliver Gould
Mrs. Warren L. Gravely Jr.
Mrs. Norman Green
Mrs. Guy U. Griffeth
Mrs. T. W. Griffiths
Mrs. Dean P. Guerin
Mrs. Jack P. Gunter
Mrs. Jeremy L. Halbreich
Mrs. Sam T. Hamra
Mrs. Edward G. Harding
Mrs. Bob D. Harrison
Mrs. William M. Hayner
Mrs. Al G. Hill III
Mrs. Albert G. Hill Sr. *
Mrs. Yerger Hill *
Mrs. James Hoak
Mrs. William Hodges *
Mrs. J. L. Huffines
Mrs. Kenneth H. Hughes
Mrs. Clark K. Hunt
Mrs. David S. Hunt
Mrs. Lamar Hunt
Mrs. Laura Bayoud Hunt
Mrs. Leete Jackson III
Mrs. David Johnston
Mrs. Jerry Jones
Mrs. A. Joe Justice
Mrs. Charles A. Kehoe
Mrs. John J. Kendrick Jr.
Mrs. John P. Koons
Mrs. Nancy O. Lemmon
Mrs. Meryl Levy *
Mrs. P. Mike McCullough
Mrs. Jan McDonald
Mrs. Hayden McIlroy
Ms. Nancy Cain Marcus
Mrs. David F. Martineau
Mrs. Jerry M. Meyer
Mrs. Vance C. Miller
Mrs. Harvey R. Mitchell
Mrs. Maurice E. Moore Jr.
Mrs. W. Lee Moore III
Mrs. John D. Murchison *
Mrs. Fulton Murray Jr.
Mrs. Robert Neely
Mrs. Nickey L. Oates
Mrs. Buford Penland *
Mrs. Ross Perot Jr.
Mrs. R. H. Pickens
Mrs. George Poston
Mrs. John H. Rauscher Jr.
Mrs. G. Stuart Reeves
Mrs. Steven S. Schiff
Mrs. Carl Sewell Jr.
Mrs. David S. Shelmire
Mrs. Harold C. Simmons
Mrs. James E. Sowell
Mrs. Robert C. Stack
Mrs. Marc H. Stewart
Mrs. Pamela S. Stewart
Mrs. Robert H. Stewart III
Mrs. L. Henry Stollenwerck
Mrs. Richard C. Strauss
Mrs. Theodore Strauss *
Mrs. Lewis T. Sweet Jr.
Mrs. Deborah G. Thomas
Mrs. Kenny Troutt
Ms. Amy Turner
Mrs. James L. Turner
Mrs. Fletcher W. Ward
Mrs. David R. Webb Jr.
Mrs. Julian A. Wells
Mrs. James R. Wikert
Mrs. Max Williams
Mrs. Stephen H. Wisdom *
Mrs. William K. Woodruff
Mrs. Terry Worrell
Mrs. Charles J. Wyly
Mrs. Toddie Lee Wynne Jr.

The 2011 Crystal Charity Ball Active Members

Libby Allred
Cynthia Beaird
Kay Beecherl
Tricia Besing
Gina Betts
Cordelia Boone
Delilah Boyd
April Bright
Carole Lou Bruton
Pam Busbee
Nancy Carlson
Ann Carruth
Christie Carter
Nancy Carter
Rozalyn Colombo
Janie Condon
Robyn Conlon
Janie Cooke
Sally Cullum
Marie Dean
Rachael Dedman
Leslie Diers
Suzanne Droese
Ann Dyer
Knoxie Edmonson
Claire Emanuelson
Tucker Enthoven
Dianne Etheredge
Fredye Factor
Susan Farris
Mary Clare Finney
Patti Flowers
Ola Fojtasek
Tanya Foster
Kim Gatlin
Suzy Gekiere
Tricia George
Barbara Hancock
Margaret Hancock
Pat Harloe
Juli Harrison
Helen Holman
Kristi Hoyl
Sally Johnson
Di Johnston
Angie Kadesky
Caren Kline
Pam Krueger
Ruth Kupchynsky
Ann Lardner
Vicky Lattner
Beth Layton
Patty Leyendecker
Paige Locke
Lisa Longino
Sarah Losinger
Lynn McBee
Pam McCallum
Wendy McCaslin
Pat McEvoy
Melissa Macatee
Mary Meier
Leslie Melson
Peggy Meyer
Kim Miller
Bette Mullins
Daffan Nettle
Elsa Norwood
Connie O%26rsquo;Neill
Linda Paulk
Pam Perella
Jan Pickens
Maria Plankinton
Michal Powell
Aileen Pratt
Amy Prestidge
Linda Quisenberry
Brandy Ratchford
Anne Reeder
Vinnie Reuben
Susan Roberds
Pat Rosenthal
Gigi Salley
Jennifer Sampson
Nancy Saustad
Linda Secrest
Connie%26nbsp; Sigel
Shelle Sills
Paige Slates
Cameron Smith
Betsy Sowell
Carol Spies
Mersina Stubbs
Deborah Sutton
Ashley Tripplehorn
Amy Turner
Julie Turner
Kristina Whitcomb
Emilynn Wilson
Alicia Wood

* Deceased Former Hall of Fame Honoree

%26nbsp;

The 2011 Crystal Charity Ball Beneficiaries

Communities in Schools Dallas Region, Inc.
A caring community of support for at-risk students.
A drop-out prevention program founded in 1985 to address the growing number of high school dropouts in Dallas and surrounding areas, CISDR helps students at-risk of failure stay in school, achieve academically and graduate in order to become productive and contributing members of the community.
The Project: Students Stay in School
The Commitment: $758,992
Crystal Charity Ball funds will be used over two years to expand campus-based, integrated academic support services and a continuum of care to at-risk elementary, middle and high school students in order to promote student achievement and success. In addition to providing program materials and support, funds will be used to hire 14 additional professionals to provide individualized on-campus case management services. Through this coordinated, caring community of support approximately 2,200 additional children will be served over two years.

%26nbsp;
CONTACT Crisis Line
Moving teens from breaking point to turning point.
In 1967 CONTACT Dallas became the first center in the United States and the model agency for a nationwide network of crisis intervention lines. CONTACT Crisis Line offers free, 24-hour telephone crisis prevention and intervention, information and referral, emergency aid and community education and outreach.
The Project: Teen Support Group for Depression and Mental Health
The Commitment: $205,146
Crystal Charity Ball funds will be used over three years to begin Teen CONTACT support groups for teenagers ages 13-18 with depression. Established by CONTACT in 1986, Teen CONTACT currently offers two dedicated crisis lines and presentations in classrooms and youth centers across the metroplex. The addition of support groups in North and South Dallas locations will allow CONTACT to focus on teens recently released from mental health facilities as well as teens with ongoing crisis or depressive issues. Funds will be used to cover teen support group program costs. Approximately 400 children will be served annually; 1,200 over three years.

Dallas Mission for Life (Dallas LIFE)
Ministering to the needs of homeless children and their families.
The largest homeless shelter in North Texas, Dallas LIFE reaches out to homeless men, women and children with food, clothing, shelter, education and long-term rehabilitation programs founded on spiritual principals and teachings. Providing for the needs of Dallas%26rsquo; homeless for over 50 years, it is the only shelter that allows families to stay together.
The Project: Children%26rsquo;s Program
The Commitment: $389,573
Crystal Charity Ball funds will be used to continue program services and improve facilities to care for an increasing number of homeless children. While at the shelter, children receive three balanced meals a day, clothing, medical and dental care, enrichment opportunities and spiritually enhancing services. They reside in individual family unit rooms with their parents. Funds will provide children%26rsquo;s programming, new playground equipment, fencing and security; bus shelters; and a new endowment to continue meeting the needs of homeless children. Approximately 375 children will be served annually.

%26nbsp;

Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic, Inc.
Meeting the health care needs of impoverished children.
Since 1972 Los Barrios has provided culturally competent primary health care and supportive assistance to the most at risk, uninsured and underinsured populations in Dallas. Located in West Dallas and Grand Prairie, Los Barrios Unidos works to improve health and quality of life by providing a medical home or individuals and families and by offering a wide range of comprehensive primary care services to all ages.
The Project: Full Service Saturday Pediatric Clinic
The Commitment: $483,150
Crystal Charity Ball funds will be used to sponsor the first two years of staffing for a full service Saturday Pediatric Clinic serving low income children from birth to age eighteen at the Los Barrios West Dallas campus. Services will include well and sick child care, lab services, vision and hearing screening, immunizations and mental health care. Funds will provide salaries and benefits for clinic personnel. Approximately 1,200 children will be served annually.

%26nbsp;
Methodist Health System Foundation
Reducing premature births to teen mothers through innovative group care.
One of North Texas%26rsquo; oldest nonprofit health systems, Methodist Health
System is committed to providing compassionate, quality, leading-edge
health care. In 2009 the System provided more than $90 million in
unreimbursed charity care.
The Project: Life Shines Bright Pregnancy Program
The Commitment: $766,825
Crystal Charity Ball funds will be used over two years to help reduce premature births to teen Moms by expanding the Life Shines Bright Pregnancy Program at Methodist Dallas Golden Cross Academic Clinic. The only Centering Pregnancy%26reg; project in Dallas, Life Shines Bright is a clinically-based prenatal and post-delivery care program that integrates health assessment, education, and support into a unified program within a group setting. Focusing on high-risk pregnant teens in Dallas%26rsquo; southern sector, the program provides a full range of medical prenatal and follow-up care and addresses all health and social aspects to achieve healthy, full-term deliveries. Funds will support expanded program operations. Approximately 528 teenage mothers will be served annually; 1,056 over two years.
%26nbsp;
%26nbsp;
Nexus Recovery Center, Inc.
A nurturing, supportive environment for teens with substance addiction.
For more than 37 years Nexus Recovery Center has provided recovery and sustained independence from alcohol and drug abuse for disadvantaged women through residential and outpatient treatment. Focusing solely on women and adolescent girls struggling with substance abuse and addiction, Nexus removes the common barriers female addicts often face when seeking treatment.
The Project: Adolescent Dormitory
The Commitment: $ 337,297
Crystal Charity Ball funds will be used to help build a new 12,500-square-foot adolescent dormitory for teens ages 13 to 17 with substance addiction. To be located on the agency%26rsquo;s 12-acre campus, the new dorm will have 30-beds, two classrooms, a library, a computer lab, group and family therapy rooms and a workout room. Requested funds will provide the remaining balance needed to completely fund the construction of the dorm. Approximately 340 teens will be served annually.
%26nbsp;

Trinity River Mission
Improving academics through Tutoring, Reading, and Mentoring.
Originally founded as an outreach ministry of Lovers Lane United Methodist Church in the early 1960s, Trinity River Mission is a community learning center serving the intergenerational education needs of children, youth, and families in West Dallas. Believing that education connects children to life%26rsquo;s possibilities, the agency promotes literacy, encourages academic success and develops effective life skills among disadvantaged youth in grades K-12.
The Project: Capital Improvements/Tutor Power Hour
The Commitment: $822,236
Crystal Charity Ball funds will be used over three years to increase the agency%26rsquo;s ability to meet escalating student academic needs in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Texas. Funds will provide capital improvements including vans, signage and technology; as well as salary and other program expenses to support the expansion of Tutor Power Hour, an on-line math tutoring program. Approximately 550 children will be served annually.
%26nbsp;
Vickery Meadow Learning Center
Preparing children for successful school entry.
Founded in 1997 by the members of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, Vickery Meadow Learning Center is dedicated to improving English literacy levels among low income non-English speaking adults and children by providing programs in communication and life skills.
The Project: Early Childhood Education Program
The Commitment: $501,811
Crystal Charity Ball funds will be used over three years to expand the Early Childhood Education Program for children ages 4 months to 5 years from non-English speaking homes in two of Dallas%26rsquo; poorest neighborhoods. The Center was initially founded to address the critical need for adult English literacy classes. In response to the lack of quality early learning opportunities for clients%26rsquo; children, the Center later expanded its on-site child care program to include early childhood education classes. Children and parents attend daily classes, simultaneously. Funds will be used for staff salaries at the Vickery Meadow and West Dallas sites. Approximately 230 children will be served annually.

Tory Comes to Town

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:59:50 GMT

Come Thursday, November 3, put on those infamous flats and make tracks to Neiman Marcus to see the women behind it all. Tory Burch is in town for a personal appearance, from 2 to 3 pm in the Tory shop on the third floor. The op to soak in the style advice of this fashion mastermind is enough for us to say%26hellip;. see you there! Information 713.621.7100.

Fashion's Night Out Convo: Cameron Silver + Christos Garkinos

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 01:48:36 GMT

While sorting through the bounty of Fashion's Night Out invitations that have been steadily arriving to our office, I couldn't help but thrill in the news that two of my favorite LA-based fashionistas %26mdash; Decades partners Cameron Silver and Christos Garkinos %26mdash; are joining Forty Five Ten for the big night. The duo is bringing troves of vintage from their LA boutiques to stock an in-store Decades Pop-Up Shop that will remain open through September 10. Unable to contain my growing excitement %26mdash; FNO is now less than two weeks away! %26mdash; I put a call in to Silver and Garkinos, picking their brains about everything from the music in their iTunes library to what they would do if asked to host their own Fashion's Night Out bash. Read on for snippets from our pre-FNO chat.

Fashion's Night Out:
Q: Why are you jetting to Dallas for Fashion%26rsquo;s Night Out?
A: [Silver] Because Dallas does everything better.
[Garkinos] And when in Dallas, it has to be at Forty Five Ten.
Q: What should we be buying on September 8?
A: [Silver] Vintage YSL blouses, bold faux bling and festive jackets!
Q: What%26rsquo;s your take on FNO each year?
A: [Garkinos] It%26rsquo;s like opening day in baseball %26mdash; but with much sexier uniforms.
Q: Tell me about your fantasy Fashion's Night Out party.
A: [Silver] It would be in the gardens of Champ de Bataille. I would serve champagne, of course. For entertainment: a fashion show featuring the most glamorous looks from the past 100 years.
[Garkinos] I would hold it at the Watts Project in LA. Grace Jones would sing. We would all sip Ouzo. And I'd only invite people born in June.
Q: What should we snag from your Decades Pop-Up Shop?
[Silver] Grab all of the vintage Jean Paul Gaultier and anything Yves Saint Laurent.
[Garkinos] Our collection of Chanel will be especially coveted.

Dallas:
Q: Three places you must go while in town?
[Silver] Forty Five Ten. Breakfast at the Mansion. And an afternoon in the Nasher Sculpture Center.
[Garkinos] When we get off the plane we get some real Tex Mex. I love the Mavericks. And I would stop off for a drink at the Mansion.
Q: If Dallas were a fashion designer, she/he would be%26hellip;
[Silver] Norman Norell
[Garkinos] Giambattista Valli
Q: If Dallas were a shoe, she/he would be%26hellip;
[Silver] A pair of Rogier Viviers
[Garkinos] A YSL Tribute with a six-inch heel

Style:
Q: Style-wise, what can you not live without?
[Silver] White dinner jackets
[Garkinos] Tom Ford suits
Q: What items, season after season, are you always purchasing?
[Silver] Black and white jeans
[Garkinos] Really good white shirts
Q: The most recent addition to your wardrobe?
[Silver] Herm%26egrave;s Collier de Chien cuff in black, swift leather
[Garkinos] I think I should start my own Tom Ford fan club. Yesterday, I purchased two silk/cotton v-neck sweaters. Best fit ever.
Q: The item that's been in your closet the longest?
[Silver] A Levi's denim garment bag from around 1979.
[Garkinos] My Sperry Topsiders from college, which are now happily relegated to my daily dog walks.

Lifestyle:
Q: Music you're listening to right now?
[Silver] %26ldquo;Digging Your Scene%26rdquo; by Blow Monkeys
[Garkinos] Adele, Kylie and Grace %26hellip;Jones that is.
Q: Best gift you've ever been given?
[Silver] A one-of-a-kind Boucheron platinum and diamond watch.
[Garkinos] Honeymoon to Bora Bora.
Q: A trip you'll never forget?
[Silver] Tokyo for the first Fashion%26rsquo;s Night Out.
[Garkinos] Last year, we visited Russia for the first time. Moscow was insane %26mdash; like Paris in the %26lsquo;80s.
Q: Where are the most stylish hotel rooms?
[Silver] The PuLi Hotel and Spa in Shanghai
[Garkinos] Old-school, over-the-top hotels in Madrid.
Q: One piece of home d%26eacute;cor you cherish the most?
[Silver] Herm%26egrave;s leather rug from the %26lsquo;70s
[Garkinos] Our vintage couch from the %26lsquo;50s. It%26rsquo;s tufted in a gorgeous grey and is almost seven feet long, so I can stretch out comfortably.
Q: Your favorite piece of art?
[Silver] %26ldquo;The Lady of Shallot%26rdquo; by John William Waterhouse
[Garkinos] My godchild%26rsquo;s projects
Q: Can%26rsquo;t-live-without this technology item:
[Silver] BlackBerry but switching to iPhone!
[Garkinos] My vintage 8-track player
Q: Your three %26ldquo;special%26rdquo; places?
[Silver] Lacoste in Provence. Montecito, California. My bed in Los Felix, California.
[Garkinos] Driving into Palm Springs. The Perivolas hotel in Santorini. Any great fashionista%26rsquo;s closet.

A Dandy’s Plan to Re-Dress Dallas

Thu, 26 May 2011 04:30:35 GMT

Of all the Starbucks in all the world, he had to walk into mine. The blazer? Cornflower-blue cotton, piped everywhere in white. The jeans? Faded, and super-slim. The shoes? White wingtips, but with toes so extended they looked like a pair of Concordes waiting to take off from de Gaulle. In the pocket of the azure jacket was a flame of colorful silk, tucked just so. The whole ensemble brilliantly jumbled the old with the new. Then came the order, in an impeccable British accent: %26ldquo;Doppio macchiato, please. Slightly wet.%26rdquo;

Image credit: Adam Fish

He turned my morning run for a grande Americano into a sojourn at a gentleman%26rsquo;s club in London. I think I even raised my pinkie as I sipped.

Image: In 2010, British Esquire ran a shot of Loe inside, asking %26ldquo;Britain%26rsquo;s best-dressed man?%26rdquo; The gent shown here took the honor instead %26mdash; but wore a suit designed by Loe, on the cover; credit: Desmond Muckian

Meet Jonathan Loe, who I just had to know. He recently moved here from London, where he has been designing menswear, styling clients and dressing dandy. It%26rsquo;s no act: Loe lives for clothes, dragging tartan kilts and Edwardian tailcoats to Dallas as proof. In London, he learned haberdashery at Aquascutum, the famous clothing store, where he vaulted from a temporary worker coordinating tailoring appointments to a prodigy in the rarified made-to-measure suit department. Eventually he landed at Start London, a store not unlike Forty Five Ten here, where he helped develop and design Mr. Start, a line of private-label suits, shirts and ties that just had its London Fashion Week debut in February 2011. The clothes that Loe penned are edgy, indeed %26mdash; think narrow lapels, architectural fit %26mdash; but supremely made, in the best traditions of Savile Row.

Image: An ad-campaign shot for Mr. Start, the line Loe helped develop and design for Start London; credit: Roert Poll

Which, oddly enough, leads to Dallas, where Loe%26rsquo;s parents are now, and where he met a beau last summer. Loe is desperate for sartorial adventure %26mdash; and he%26rsquo;s a bit alarmed that Dallas%26rsquo; fit, young gents aren%26rsquo;t dressing as best they could. %26ldquo;They just buy the things their fathers taught them to buy.%26rdquo; The dandy to the rescue: Loe has signed on at Ralph Lauren in Highland Park Village, where he advises on proper cuts and pulls together entire looks, sportswear included. (One look at Loe and surely the employment interview was a moot point.) He is also taking on private clients for wardrobe styling, closet editing and personal shopping. If you need an attire recharge, call on Loe, whose eyes literally flash when describing his beloved beige-cashmere poncho, still en route from London, complete with a funnel neck lined in black rabbit fur. (It will be interesting to see how and when he wears that in Dallas.) He admits to a perverse obsession with gothic-y, Draculean clothes, waxing lovingly about favorite ensembles like most men do about cigars or cars. And he absolutely remembers his First Important Purchase: a pair of Jean Paul Gaultier trousers bought at Harvey Nichols in London, at age 18, with money that he had saved and saved. %26ldquo;It was the first time I felt sexy in a garment,%26rdquo; says he. And for the record, he still owns the pants. Jonathan Loe, 469.438.9808; jwaloe@gmail.com.

Image credit at top and below: Adam Fish

Chandra North, Star

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:52:51 GMT

"Hi! It's Chandra!"

There is a peppy voice on the other end of the line during an on-deadline Wednesday afternoon. Calling to chat was, indeed, our May cover girl, Chandra North %26mdash; the 38-year-old beauty most known for her mega-model career that had her walking international catwalks with supermodels Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell and gracing the covers of a gamut of glossies including Vogue, Harper%26rsquo;s Bazaar and, yes, Sports Illustrated. Two hours of enlightening phone conversation later and we get it. Not only is North cool %26mdash; convo about her art collection is interrupted by sudden snores from her beloved beagle, Nigel, and the several minutes of laughter between us that followed %26mdash; but she%26rsquo;s smart and worldly minded, too. She could go on for hours about photographer Helmut Newton%26rsquo;s naughty sense of humor and Richard Avedon%26rsquo;s 8 x 10 Deardorff camera. She%26rsquo;ll impress you with her nod to going green and her low-maintenance beauty approach. (Tip: If you want to glow like North, don%26rsquo;t over-wash your hair or your visage.) And she%26rsquo;ll inspire you by her latest re-entr%26eacute;e into modeling, partially sparked by a bit of advice given by designer Karl Lagerfeld to North%26rsquo;s model friend Kristen McMenamy: %26ldquo;Life is what happens when you%26rsquo;re making plans for the future.%26rdquo;

All this, and we learn that %26mdash;%26nbsp;despite her ability to wax poetic about everything from fashion to Fort Worth, art to interiors and her two beloved boys, hubby Daniel Blaylock and son Hayden %26mdash; North is running on just a wee bit of rest, as we talk. %26ldquo;Can you put an asterisk that says %26lsquo;Model has had three hours of sleep?%26rsquo;%26rdquo; she asks, of this all-over-the-map interview. We won%26rsquo;t grant her request because, little sleep or not, North has us impressed. From her minor obsession with Lanvin to her favorite Dallas pizza to the furniture she loves, here is your primer on the wave-making Chandra North, the most enviable model citizen in town.

Modeling:
First shoot: For Detour Magazine in Dallas. I was 16. I had platinum-blonde hair and I was a little deer in the headlights. Most thrilling shoot: In Florence, with Dennis Hopper shooting and Alexander McQueen styling. Most recent runway show: Reed Krakoff Fall 2011. Edgiest shoot: I did some strange things with Helmut Newton. He always had a naughty sense of humor. The moment she knew she made it: Walking in a Versace show and Linda Evangelista and all the big girls were there. Favorite fashion people: Narciso Rodriguez. Polly Mellen. Andr%26eacute; Leon Talley. If she wasn%26rsquo;t a model: I have a lot of fun with fashion, so I%26rsquo;d have to have my toes dipped in there somewhere. I%26rsquo;d be like, %26ldquo;Hey, Brian [Bolke], can I be a buyer for Forty Five Ten?%26rdquo; Or maybe I%26rsquo;d be a dog handler.

Home:
Residence: Dallas. Places she%26rsquo;s lived: Paris. Tokyo. New York City for nine years. Upstate New York in the Hudson River Valley for about 10 years. House: A funky, eclectic 1930s home in Highland Park. Furniture: A chair called the Charleston, with a rosewood base and re-covered in super-dark leather. I tell people not to sit in my chair. A credenza we found at White in TriBeCa. I think it had been in some IBM office in the %26rsquo;60s. A coffee table my husband did, with walnut shelves and matte-brass rods. Bedding: Thomas O%26rsquo;Brien for Target. Dwell for Target. Car: Toyota 4Runner. Art: A surreal painting by Dimitri. Robert Hyatt. Flowers: Peonies. Shannon Wynne is my down-the-street neighbor, and I always say, %26ldquo;Hey! I like your peonies!%26rdquo; Pets: A beagle named Nigel. And yes, he totally snores. A cat named Chet. He is officially 100 years old. He%26rsquo;s still kickin%26rsquo; and is getting sweet in his old age.

Dallas:
Restaurant: Eno%26rsquo;s Pizza Tavern. Clothing Store: V.O.D. Boutique. Archive Vintage. Forty Five Ten. Barneys New York. Home shops: Lost. Found. Century Modern. Dolly Python. Grange Hall. Salon: Salon Three Thirty. Manicure: Pampered Soles. Inspirational Dallasites: Lisa Dawson of the Kim Dawson Agency. Tom Spicer of Spiceman%26rsquo;s FM 1410. Joyce Goss of the Goss-Michael Foundation. Stylist Mike Thompson. Holly Jefferson and Ian Parsons of the Oak Cliff Bicycle Company. Happy place: Central Dog Park. It%26rsquo;s my group therapy. Dallas in 10 years: Hopefully less reliant on gas-powered lawn equipment. The leaf blowers drive me insane, and they%26rsquo;re always going.

Fashion:
Heels: Lanvin. Boots: L.D. Tuttle. Day shoes: Havaianas. Adidas. Jeans: Levi%26rsquo;s. Current Elliot. Jacket: Rick Owens. T-shirt: Clu. Dress: Isabel Marant. Handbag: Marc by Marc Jacobs. Tylie Malibu dark-dark-blue leather bucket bag. Accessories: A silver-and-gold Rolex I inherited from my dad. Her style: Simple. Tough. Chic. Fashion icon: Daphne Guinness. First major fashion purchase: A black Thierry Mugler suit. It was very Catherine Deneuve in The Hunger. Fave fashion magazine: Paris Vogue.

Inspirations:
Books: Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. And I promised my mom that on July 31 %26mdash; that%26rsquo;s my birthday %26mdash; I%26rsquo;ll have read Anna Karenina. Periodical: The New Yorker. Music: Iggy Pop. Aaron Copland. LCD Soundsystem. They%26rsquo;re like the Seinfeld of music: It ended too quickly. Favorite color: Midnight blue. I hate when people call it navy, because it%26rsquo;s not. Summer travel: My cousin%26rsquo;s wedding in Williamsburg, Virginia. It%26rsquo;s going to be a family road trip. We%26rsquo;re going to Graceland and the Peabody Hotel to see the famous ducks come down the red carpet at 11 and 5. Charities: Food 4 Kids with the North Texas Food Bank. Water Thirst Today Benefit. Dallas Challenge, a celebrity art auction that benefits at-risk youth.

Beauty:
Lips: Burt%26rsquo;s Bees. Fresh Sugar. Mascara: L%26rsquo;Or%26eacute;al. Nail polish: Spaghetti Strap or Mucho Dinero, both by Essie. Soap: Dr. Bronner%26rsquo;s Peppermint Liquid Soap. Scent: Cannabis Santal Eau de Parfum by Fresh. Comme des Gar%26ccedil;ons Daphne. Hair products: Generally, I don%26rsquo;t use anything. Skin: Egyptian Magic skin cream. Sonya Dakar Omega-3 Repair Complex. Kate Somerville Exfolikate.

Image: Chandra North wears a Mary Katrantzou dress, Spring 2011. Portrait photographed exclusively for PaperCity by Maxine Helfman.

%26nbsp;

On the Cover

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:07:48 GMT

%26ldquo;Hi! It%26rsquo;s Chandra!%26rdquo; There is a peppy voice on the other end of the line during an on-deadline Wednesday afternoon. Calling to chat was, indeed, our May cover girl, Chandra North %26mdash; the 38-year-old beauty from Dallas, most known for her mega-model career that had her walking international catwalks with supermodels and gracing the covers of Vogue, Harper%26rsquo;s Bazaar and, yes, Sports Illustrated. Two hours of enlightening phone conversation later and we get it. Not only is North cool %26mdash; convo about her art collection is interrupted by snores from her beloved beagle, Nigel %26mdash; but she%26rsquo;s smart and worldly minded, too. She could go on for hours about photographer Helmut Newton%26rsquo;s naughty sense of humor. And she%26rsquo;ll inspire you by her latest re-entr%26eacute;e into modeling, partially sparked by a bit of advice given by Karl Lagerfeld to North%26rsquo;s model friend Kristen McMenamy: %26ldquo;Life is what happens when you%26rsquo;re making plans for the future.%26rdquo;

Images:

Portrait: Chandra North, photographed exclusively for PaperCity by Maxine Helfman. Chandra represented by Kim Dawson Agency, Dallas. Styled by Jon Tutolo, Kim Dawson Agency. Christian Cota%26rsquo;s breezy silk and marabou feather dress $2,900 at Atrium. Hair and makeup Al Tidwell, Kim Dawson Agency.

One of Chandra%26rsquo;s international Vogue covers.

Encore!

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:46:42 GMT

The hottest ticket last season %26mdash; and the most original and successful new fund-raiser %26mdash; took place %26hellip; where else? At the house of John and Becca Cason Thrash, where Miz Thrash devised and chaired Dancing with the Houston Stars benefitting the Houston Ballet. The social firmament is still enthralled by last-year contenders Phoebe Tudor%26rsquo;s acrobatic mambo, Diane Lokey Farb%26rsquo;s disco dazzle, Lynn Wyatt%26rsquo;s timeless cha-cha, Monsour Taghdisi%26rsquo;s muscular tango and Pat Burk%26rsquo;s smoldering merengue. Now more brave socials have stepped up for a go at Round Two: At press time, Beth Muecke, Melissa Mithoff, Ceron, Dominique Sachse, Lindsey Love and C.C. Conner are confirmed, to be paired with Houston Ballet talent. Secure your tickets now to cast your ballet on Tuesday, May 10, 7 pm, at this black-tie benefit, featuring a Mo%26euml;t %26amp; Chandon cocktail hour, seated dinner with courses crafted by Philippe, Eddie V%26rsquo;s at West Ave, Monarch Bistro at Hotel Zaza and Ava Alto, as well as the destined-to-be-sizzling dance competition. Tickets from $1,000; tables from $10,000; contact Jill Scott, 713.535.3230; jscott@houstonballet.org.

Image: Diane Lokey Farb competes at Dancing with the Houston Social Stars 2010. Photo by Fulton Davenport.

Charlotte's Dallas, Super Style

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:08:35 GMT

Images: Mom and Dad (Gene and Jerry Jones) with Charlotte; Purr-fect transport: Charlotte%26rsquo;s posh wheels.

When one thinks of Dallas, certain buzzwords come to mind. Philanthropic. Football-obsessed. Grand-scale everything. And if ever there were a Dallasite who embodies the city%26rsquo;s wow factor, it%26rsquo;s the magnificent, magnanimous Charlotte Jones Anderson. Her football roots run deep. She is, after all, the daughter of Jerry Jones, inimitable owner of the Dallas Cowboys, and she%26rsquo;s a famous face of the organization that Dad so meticulously groomed. In fact, she was a key player in luring the Super Bowl here at all. The three-million-square-foot stadium in Arlington that will swell with worldwide attention come Super Bowl Sunday? Look around. It was Anderson who helped wrangle the impressive collection of contemporary art there. Those 300 ultra-chic suites? She helped handpick the decor. And those flawless Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders? It is Charlotte%26rsquo;s expectations that they must meet. (Anderson%26rsquo;s titles almost outnumber the Cowboys%26rsquo; five Super Bowl wins: executive vice president, vice president of brand management and president of charity foundation for the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. Oh, and there%26rsquo;s a degree from Stanford University, too.) Clearly, there%26rsquo;s no end to glamour in the land of Charlotte %26mdash; she zips around town in a pearly Jaguar XJL and is a regular in the fitting rooms at the elegant department store Stanley Korshak, trying on gowns for every hot-ticket event in town. But don%26rsquo;t let that fool you: This gal is anything but pretentious. To our photo shoot for this section%26rsquo;s cover and this story, she showed up sans assistants and with her own garment bags in tow. (Yes, that sparkly sequined dress and sumptuous black fur are all hers, and styled by her.) As for the philanthropy factor, in addition to serving on countless charity boards and committees %26mdash; the Shelton School, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Children%26rsquo;s Medical Center and many more %26mdash;%26nbsp;this fall, Charlotte was named National Advisory Board Chairperson for The Salvation Army. It doesn%26rsquo;t get grander than that. So when it came time to ask one person to be our Super Bowl cover star and to help us curate the ultimate guide of places to go and things to see during the big weekend, we knew just who to call.

Image: Holly Hunt chair

Where She Shops for%26hellip;

Her Super Bowl outfit: Saks Fifth Avenue and Stanley Korshak. I love Brunello Cucinelli! Fun cocktail dress: Intermix. Casual wear for a day off with the fam: The Shak at Stanley Korshak or Cotton Island are great for chic-but-comfy. I love Alexander Wang T-shirts, Roberto Cavalli, J Brand Jeans and Helmut Lang jeggings. Fabulous luncheon attire: I love Valentino. It%26rsquo;s beautiful, feminine and perfect. A great pair of shoes: Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus. A comfortable travel outfit: Scoop for scarves and T-shirts. Jewelry: For fun, Marnie Rocks. For serious fun, Neiman Marcus, William Noble Rare Jewels, Intergem USA at the World Trade Center and Stanley Korshak. Vintage: My mom%26rsquo;s closet. It%26rsquo;s the best ever! The house: There%26rsquo;s nothing better than a Christie%26rsquo;s catalog mixed with contemporary looks from Allan Knight. I love Holly Hunt! For final touches, I love Grange Hall/Urban Flower. A work of art: Dunn and Brown Contemporary.

Image: Villa-O

Where She Dines%26hellip;

Steak: Al Biernat%26rsquo;s. Tex-Mex: Fernando%26rsquo;s Mexican Cuisine. Italian: Villa-O or Mi Piaci. Burgers: Maple and Motor or Taco Diner %26mdash; believe it! BBQ: Peggy Sue BBQ. Asian/Sushi: Gui Korean Japanese Bistro %26amp; Bar, Tei Tei Robata Bar or Teppo Yakitori %26amp; Sushi Bar. Something healthy: Eatzi%26rsquo;s Market %26amp; Bakery. An amazing cocktail: Dee Lincoln%26rsquo;s Tasting Room %26amp; Bubble Bar. It%26rsquo;s the best at Cowboys Stadium. A fun atmosphere: Mi Cocina. A sophisticated vibe: Fearing%26rsquo;s and, of course, The Rattlesnake Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. A great date: [My husband] Shy and I made a deal to try something new every chance we get. But it%26rsquo;s tough to find a spot better than Al Biernat%26rsquo;s. A power lunch: Caf%26eacute; Pacific or The Mercury. Girls%26rsquo; night out: Shinsei. Great atmosphere, great food and great to see owners Tracy Rathbun and Lynae Fearing. A family dinner: Sushi Star, Taco Diner, Kenny%26rsquo;s Wood Fired Grill, Bubba%26rsquo;s Cooks Country.

Image: Cowboys Stadium in Arlington

Where She Goes to%26hellip;
See a great show: The AT%26amp;T Performing Arts Center. We are so fortunate to have these great facilities in our city. See blue-chip works of art: The Dallas Museum of Art and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Hear great music: The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is amazing. Hang with her family: We love watching our kids play sports and, of course, watching the Cowboys play football.

Photo by Maxine Helfman.

Her Go-To Beauty Spots for%26hellip;

Cut, color and blowout: Jean-Philippe at Jean-Philippe Salon for cut. Ask for Dina for color and Mai and Elizabeth for blowouts. Mani/pedi: Emily and Sandy at Hollywood Star Nail %26amp; Spa [on Lovers Lane]. Makeup: Perle at Jean-Philippe Salon, or Peggy Segundo [214.738.8766]. Facials:
Mimi is amazing at Jack Gunter%26rsquo;s office [214.369.8123]. Laura Foster at Facial Techniques [214.346.5438] is wonderful.

Image at top: Ready for her close-up: Charlotte Jones Anderson in her own Zac Posen dress and Michael Kors fur vest, all from Stanley Korshak. On her right hand? Yes, that%26rsquo;s a Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl stunner, from 1995.

Game Plan

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:11:58 GMT

Okay, all you Super Bowlers, you have just a few days to do Dallas %26mdash; and its astounding, surrounding stomping grounds. We got to know Three former Dallas Cowboys superstars better, then asked them where they kick it.

Troy Aikman

You%26rsquo;re hungry. You make a beeline for?
Al Biernat%26rsquo;s, Hibiscus, Javier%26rsquo;s Gourmet Mexicano, Mi Cocina, Nick %26amp; Sam%26rsquo;s, Coal Vines, Shinsei, Wingstop and Little Katana.

Given half a day off in your own neighborhood, how would you spend it?
I live in Highland Park. I would go for a run on the Katy Trail and take my daughters to lunch at Mi Cocina.

Photo courtesy Dallas Museum of Art

Must-see museums?
The Dallas Museum of Art and The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.

When you leave the house, what three things are always on you?%26nbsp;
Wallet, cell phone, ChapStick.

Your first major suit: Where%26rsquo;d you get it?
My first was from Lombardo Custom Apparel.

What are you wearing to the big game?%26nbsp;
A suit %26mdash; and hopefully a colorful tie that televises well.

Image: Elvis Presley. Photo used by permission. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

If you were having a Super Bowl party at your place, which A-listers %26mdash; living or not %26mdash; would be coming?
Vince Lombardi, Elvis Presley, John Kennedy.

What do you miss about Dallas when you%26rsquo;re on the road?
My three daughters %26mdash; and Tex-Mex.

Let%26rsquo;s talk sports. What was your funniest nickname on any team?
%26ldquo;Ears%26rdquo; %26mdash; in high school.

What golf course is a must-play in Dallas?
Preston Trail Golf Club.

What team has the best cheerleader uniforms?
The Cowboys, of course.

Photo by VJ Lovero.

Best mascot?
The San Diego Padres Chicken.

Do you play Fantasy Football? Who%26rsquo;s on your team?%26nbsp;
Yes. Philip Rivers, Rashard Mendenhall, Wes Welker and DeSean Jackson.

Weirdest thing that ever happened in the locker room?%26nbsp;
I%26rsquo;m not sure you really want to know.

%26nbsp;

Daryl Johnston

So, Mr. Johnston, what are you wearing to the big game?
It all depends on whether I get a ticket. I%26rsquo;m going to be involved with part of Fox%26rsquo;s pregame show, so if I get to stay and watch the game I%26rsquo;ll be a little dressy. If we can%26rsquo;t get tickets, I%26rsquo;ll be at the house in jeans and a T-shirt. Either way, I will not be displaying any team colors. My team didn%26rsquo;t make the game %26mdash; this year!

If you do end up at home, and could have anyone over for the game %26mdash; living or not %26mdash;%26nbsp;who%26rsquo;s in?
Vince Lombardi, Bono, Ronald Reagan and Thomas Jefferson.

What%26rsquo;s the most memorable football party you ever attended?
My draft party.

And the wildest?
My draft party.

Image: The Monkey Bar

That makes us think of libations. Where do you go for yours?
The Monkey Bar [upstairs at Mi Cocina in Highland Park Village] and Club Johnston [at my house]. It has a great patio.

Image: Abacus

And for noshing?
Abacus, Shinsei, Fearing%26rsquo;s and Ferrari%26rsquo;s Italian Villa [in Grapevine].

You must have a must-play golf course?
Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth.

Image: Audi A8

So, the wheels. What are you rolling in?
I drive an Audi A8. Best car in its class by far.

Your first serious suits: Where did they come from?
My first suit came from Dillard%26rsquo;s at the Irving Mall. My first custom suit came from Lombardo Custom Apparel.

Okay, Mr. Fashion Plate, who has the best cheerleader uniforms?
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

Image: The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth; photo by Robert LaPrelle.

Your cultural fix?
The Dallas Museum of Art, the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth and The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.

Do you play Fantasy Football? Who%26rsquo;s on your team?
I used to, but I always forgot to check my rosters %26mdash; which leads to some pretty bad seasons. Someday I%26rsquo;ll start playing again.

Your two best career memories?
Being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys and being on the field the day Emmitt Smith broke Walter Payton%26rsquo;s record.

What was your funniest nickname on any team?
%26ldquo;Moose.%26rdquo; [But] I am not very moose-like anymore.

%26nbsp;

Drew Pearson

Dallas is pretty infectious. What do you miss when you%26rsquo;re traveling?
My family, the weather, the pretty women.

Image: Palm Restaurant

Your three favorite restaurants?
Arthur%26rsquo;s in Addison, Antonio Ristorante in Addison, and the Palm Restaurant in Dallas.

If you%26rsquo;ve got museum time, where do you spend it?
The African American Museum in Dallas, the Dallas Firefighter%26rsquo;s Museum and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco.

And what about your evening time?
Shuck N Jive in Addison and II Brothers%26rsquo; Grill %26amp; Bar in Plano %26mdash; and home, in Plano.

On the football tip, what are two major career moments for you?
Graduating from The University of Tulsa and making the Dallas Cowboys.

Your funniest nickname on any team?
%26ldquo;Spike,%26rdquo; named by Billy Joe DuPree after I injured my knee spiking the football after scoring a touchdown.

And the worst?
Spike %26mdash; for the same reason.

OKay, who%26rsquo;s got the best cheerleader uniforms?
When I played, it came down like this: Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and, of course, the Dallas Cowboys.

Do you play Fantasy Football? Who%26rsquo;s on your team?
I am the general manager of the Allen Wranglers, of the Indoor Football League. Putting a team together is like Fantasy Football, but it%26rsquo;s real.

Image: Mama Fierce: Tina Knowles

It%26rsquo;s your ultimate Super Bowl party. Who%26rsquo;s coming?
Marques Haynes, Harvey Martin, Bob Hayes, Tom Landry, Roger Staubach, Tony Hill, Tony Dorsett, Billy Joe DuPree, Doug Donley, Dale Hansen, Robert Newhouse and Rayfield Wright. Get the picture? Mostly all former teammates. Oh, and Beyonc%26eacute;%26rsquo;s mom.

Dear SK: For 25, You Look Maaarvelous

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:54:15 GMT

To say your 20s are some of the best years of your life would be an understatement when it comes to describing the past quarter-decade at Stanley Korshak. Next month, the Crescent Court fashion mecca blows out 25 birthday candles in a very big way, with its grand bash set for Thursday, March 24. To hold us over till the big to-do, we asked owner Crawford Brock to recall a few memorable moments from Korshak%26rsquo;s well-heeled history:

%26ldquo;Prince Albert of Monaco visited for an appearance. We were bringing him up on the freight elevator, which got stuck between floors. When our security director finally pried the doors open, the floor was about waist-high. We hoisted the prince up and out, he dusted himself off and went on with the PA as if nothing was out of the ordinary%26rdquo; %26bull; %26ldquo;Our 21st Anniversary party in 2006 was the most-attended event in Korshak history %26mdash;%26nbsp;more than 2,500 guests arrived. Rather than run out of drinks, we bought out every bottle of wine in the vicinity of the store, including Dickey%26rsquo;s [in the One Stop Express]!%26rdquo; %26bull; %26ldquo;Being the first to bring Christian Louboutin to Dallas, as the featured designer at one of our Leukemia %26amp; Lymphoma Society fashion shows.%26rdquo; %26bull; %26ldquo;Opening on a Sunday for Elizabeth Taylor. She came in with her dog, Precious, who made herself extremely comfortable on a sable coat.%26rdquo;

Inside the Head of Mickey Rosmarin

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 02:56:37 GMT

Mickey Rosmarin %26mdash; proprietor of Houston%26rsquo;s swank store, Tootsies %26mdash; will celebrate his nearly three decades in the fashion trade by debuting his grandest store to date in mid-January 2011. More than double the size of its previous footprint, his sparkling new 35,000-square-foot Tootsies at West Ave will stock new names from European and American designers and expanded shoe, accessory and jewelry salons in a soaring, colonnaded, megalithic monument to style designed by Gensler architects. Tootsies will play host, as it has for years, to charity fund-raisers, fashion shows and trunk shows from visiting designers the world over with the addition of salons galore, a 300-foot runway, private alcoves, bar and catering kitchen. On the eve of Rosmarin%26rsquo;s glittering store opening, we delve %26mdash; not too deeply %26mdash; into the unconventional, nonconformist mind of the man who manages to make it all look effortless.

Image: Gloria Guinness, in Acapulco, 1966

Q:You are quite the collector. What are you amassing these days? %26nbsp;%26nbsp;
Vintage ceramic pieces of Waylande Gregory. Deco and mid-century Italian furniture and accessories for the new store. I%26rsquo;m always looking at estate sales and garage sales, on 1st Dibs and at local dealers such as Era Vintage Modern.
%26nbsp;
I understand you have an affinity for vintage clothing and furniture. What era are you most consumed by?
For furniture I like 1930%26rsquo;s, %26rsquo;40s and %26rsquo;50s Vittorio Dassi and Gio Ponti. In vintage clothing, I love %26rsquo;30s through %26rsquo;60s from Pucci, Ossie Clark and Vera.

%26nbsp;

Image: Waylande Gregory

Describe your personal aesthetic in terms of wardrobe?
Simple, fairly basic and consistent, usually jeans (Levi%26rsquo;s or Banana Republic), John Lobb black loafers and shirts from Vintage, Fray Italy and Paul Smith.

%26hellip; And in terms of interiors and the way you live at home?
Eclectic and spontaneous. I%26rsquo;ve been collecting Deco %26amp; mid-century furniture for 20-plus years.

Image credit: Allison V. Smith

What books are on your bedside table?
Relevance by Tim Manners and, recently, an endless amount of catalogs for fixtures, hardware, etc. for the new store.

Home away from home?
Hotel San Jose in Austin.

Image: Mickey %26amp; Joan Rivers in the %26lsquo;80s

The hotel or resort you long to escape to (or go back to)?
I%26rsquo;d like to time travel back to Villa Vera or Las Brisas in Acapulco, circa late %26rsquo;70s/early %26rsquo;80s. And%26nbsp; Miami, late %26rsquo;80s and early %26rsquo;90s. %26nbsp;

Favorite restaurant in town?
RDG, Da Marco, Armandos.

Image: Gio Ponti Diamond sofa for Cassina, 1953

Where and what would you enjoy for your last meal, if you actually had
the opportunity to choose?
Felix%26rsquo;s chili con queso, James Coney Island hot dogs.

Small luxuries you wouldn%26rsquo;t want to do without:
Freedom of time; I like to keep a fluid and spontaneous schedule.

Image: The view from Villa Nirvana, Acapulco, 1971; Credit: Slim Aarons

You are responsible for introducing Tootsies customers to a wide range of once up-and-coming designers such as Donna Karan and Diane Von Furstenberg. Whose collections these days have you doing a double take?
Giambattista Valli.

If you could author the words of any one quotation in history, whose and what words would you wish to have first uttered?
%26ldquo;The more things change, the more they remain the same.%26ldquo; I find this to be so true in the worlds of fashion, design and%26nbsp; architecture.

Image: Cindy Sherman%26rsquo;s Untitled Film Still, 1978, Edition of 3; Credit: Cindy Sherman

Mickey, you collect an array of art. Whose pieces do you wish to acquire (or acquire even more of)?
Cindy Sherman, an American photographer best known for her black-and-white conceptual portraits.

You are quite the entrepreneur %26mdash; not only starting your own original concepts but reviving ones popular ages ago, such as Kork-Ease and Waylande Gregory. What makes something ripe, in your eyes, for reinvention?
It%26rsquo;s more a feeling than anything else. To revive a concept or design, there has to be a heritage to draw upon, such as the rich history of Waylande Gregory, the artist, and the discovery of a warehouse of his original pieces. Kork-Ease had a huge following and elicited an incredibly strong visceral feeling for the freedom of the %26rsquo;70s. I think Halston is ready for a strong comeback. So are Vera fabrics.

Image: Giambattista Valli, Fall 2010

What product line or company would you love the chance to reinvent in 2011 and beyond?
I have one in the works %26mdash; a very popular product line from the South of France from the mid-%26rsquo;70s.
%26nbsp;
Tell us something we don%26rsquo;t know about you.
The precursor to Tootsies was called Honest Threads and opened in the early %26rsquo;70s. It was my first real store, located at 506 Westheimer. We sold vintage clothes and evolved into what is now Tootsies.

Okay, now, just one sneak peek at the new store. A new department?%26nbsp;
The Body Shop, focusing on every single garment that pushes, pulls and expands, and does whatever needs to be done.

Image top: Mickey Rosmarin in his new store; Credit: Fulton Davenport

Talking Consignment with Christos Garkinos

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 01:41:12 GMT

To start off, can you give me some consignment buying tips?

CG: When you%26rsquo;re buying, it%26rsquo;s important that you go into a boutique that caters to you. And make sure the store carries pieces that you wouldn%26rsquo;t see anywhere else. Also check that the owners are reputable and able to guarantee authenticity when it comes to handbags. That is really important. I%26rsquo;ve been doing this for about 10 years, and I%26rsquo;ve maybe sold 8,000 handbags over the years, and I%26rsquo;ve only had four that I%26rsquo;ve had issues telling if they were real or fake, so mazel tov. We have over 3,000 consignors around the world. It%26rsquo;s like Christmas everyday at the store, boxes from everywhere.

Treasures?

CG: We%26rsquo;ll look and see if metallics are big, or taupe, or what color scheme is hot, and we%26rsquo;ll buy that. That%26rsquo;s very important. Consignment is a good place to get designer shoes. Designer shoes have become the it-bag this season. I think the architecture of shoes is amazing right now, but they%26rsquo;re like $1,200 a pair retail. Plus anything from Tom Ford%26ndash;era YSL or Gucci is incredibly collectible, so when I go into someone%26rsquo;s closet and see Tom in their closet, I have to put my fashion poker face on because I don%26rsquo;t want to show that I%26rsquo;m too interested in it ... He%26rsquo;s really a great guy, and he left his businesses without an archive.

Did he really?

CG: He did. So when I see his pieces, I try and gather them and offer them to him first to buy back, if he doesn%26rsquo;t already have the piece. For me, that%26rsquo;s what I love: the hunting and gathering.

How much of his collection has he been able to buy back?

CG: From me? Maybe 40 to 45 pieces over the years. In the last five years, though, there%26rsquo;s been a real Tom Ford resurgence.

Which designer of the past do you most admire and why?

CG: For me, McQueen %26mdash; for both men%26rsquo;s and women%26rsquo;s %26mdash; was great. From the men%26rsquo;s perspective, he was tall ... like 6%26rsquo;1%26rdquo; or 6%26rsquo;2%26rdquo;. I met him once, and he and I were eye to eye. I mean, unlike these great designers that are 5%26rsquo;8%26rdquo; and designing for themselves ... I%26rsquo;m holding onto my pieces from him.

How many celebrities bring in their own goods?

CG: I%26rsquo;d say we have about 150 celebrities that consign, and about 20 percent of them actually bring in the stuff themselves because they want to shop. But then I have to play fashion police and make sure they don%26rsquo;t buy something another celebrity has already worn and been photographed in ... I would die.

How do you convince women to part with things?

CG: I always joke that the best thing for my business is divorce, weight loss or gain, or moving. It%26rsquo;s almost like fashion Robin Hood, because I go in these women%26rsquo;s closets and buy things for other women who really want and will really wear them. I mean, some women buy the same thing in three different colors %26mdash; which I understand, because I do it. I have three of the YSL Johnny boot, so I get it.

What%26rsquo;s next?

CG: I%26rsquo;m working on my book called My First Handbag. You can ask any woman, and they will tell you a great story that goes with their first handbag. Do you remember yours?

KAS: Marc Jacobs from his first collection. Like the one Gwyneth Paltrow used to carry. It had the two pockets in the front and was bone-colored. I got it in college before I moved to New York ... I begged my mother for it for Christmas.

OMG: JPG at DMA

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 01:08:34 GMT

The fashion gods have granted our city a most divine privilege. In November 2011, a retrospective of designs from cutting-edge couturier Jean Paul Gaultier will make its U.S. debut at the Dallas Museum of Art %26mdash; the first time, in fact, the DMA has housed an exhibition solely dedicated to the art of fashion. %26ldquo;Jean Paul Gaultier%26rsquo;s couture fashions are bold and unapologetic,%26rdquo; says DMA director Bonnie Pitman, %26ldquo;and intuitively reflect the cultural moods of a global society.%26rdquo; Bold and packed with global influence? The exhibition, organized by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, is sure to be all that and more, with 120 looks plucked from the designer%26rsquo;s trove of fantastical and often satirical couture and pr%26ecirc;t-%26agrave;-porter collections, spanning from the enfant terrible%26rsquo;s first collection in 1976 to his luxurious, trench-coat-laden looks of Fall 2010. Many of the avant-garde designs %26mdash; accompanied by sketches, film excerpts, runway-show footage, televised interviews and more %26mdash; have never been exhibited before, and we%26rsquo;ll spend the next year wondering whether his iconic torpedo bra (as made famous by Madonna in the late %26rsquo;80s) or his laser-cut silver dress (worn on his Spring 2011 catwalk by indie singer Beth Ditto) will make a PA. The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, November 13, 2011, through February 12, 2012; dallasmuseumofart.org/view/futureexhibitions/index.htm.

Image: Les Surr%26eacute;alistes collection, H%26eacute;cate coatdress. Haute couture, Fall/Winter 2006-2007. Photo by P. Stable/Jean Paul Gaultier.

Arresting Glamour

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:25:56 GMT

This just in: Fashion Group International has revealed a new and noteworthy detail of its Fashion and Lifestyle Awards %26#8212;%26nbsp;%26#8220;A Night of Stars%26#8221; %26#8212; gala set for Thursday, November 19, at the Grand Pavilion at the Dallas Trade Mart. Chairmen Terri Provencal and Jenny Siede have called upon 10 local tastemakers to serve as the event%26#8217;s Fashion Police. Their call of duty? Collectively contribute more than $30,000 towards FGI Dallas%26#8217; programs and student scholarships, partake in the gala%26#8217;s runway show, enforce style and wear nothing but the best. We%26#8217;re sure this pack of deputies will bear its fashion badges with nothing but sartorial pride. Be on the lookout for:

%26nbsp;

%26#8226; John Conte: Design academic at Wade College and The Art Institute of Dallas.

%26#8226; Heidi Dillon: Founder of The Fashionistas and fireball fashion collector.

%26#8226; Jackson: Barneys New York NorthPark%26#8217;s frontman and concierge.
%26#8226; Cordey Lash: Trend-setting philanthropist for the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender community.
%26#8226; Daniel Winson Lewis: Star of Bravo TV%26#8217;s Shear Genius Season 2.
%26#8226; Shannon Niehus: Los Angeles native and emerging interdisciplinary artist.
%26#8226; Ana Pettus: Society scenester and fashion patroness.
%26#8226; Susan Mikkelsen Pielsticker: Jewelry and accessories designer, writer and blogger.
%26#8226; Chuck Steelman: Public relations whiz for Neiman Marcus Willow Bend.

%26#8226; Maxine Trowbridge: Pinkmemo.com%26#8217;s British-born founder.

%26nbsp;

For tickets to Fashion Group International%26#8217;s Fashion and Lifestyle Awards, dial 214.642.1124 or click dallas.fgi.org. PaperCity media sponsor.

Image: FGI%26#8217;s Fashion Police. Back row, from left: Daniel Winson Lewis, Ana Pettus, Susan Mikkelsen Pielsticker, Cordey Lash, Shannon Niehus, Heidi Dillon, %26nbsp;John Conte. Front row, from left: Jackson, Maxine Trowbridge, Chuck Steelman. Photo by Tim Boole.

Social Soup

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 03:04:27 GMT

It%26#8217;s filled with carbs and cream. We%26#8217;re not eating it, but we sure are dishing it! PaperCity%26#8217;s Social Soup is perfectly spiced with a pinch of Peter, a soup%26#231;on of Ursaline, a sprinkle of Anne and a dash of George. Bon app%26#233;tit!

Write Brained
She has analyzed the handwriting of criminals and killers %26#8212; so who better to size up our socialites? Houston-based Alice Weiser is highly skilled in graphoanalysis %26#8212; the study of what people%26#8217;s body language, voice and writing reveal about them %26#8212; and has demonstrated her craft on CNN and MSNBC, in courtrooms across the land and in her book, Judge the Jury: Experience the Power of Reading People. What does a signature say? What do those curves conceal? Savvy, straight-shooting Alice of aliceweiser.com %26#8220;reads%26#8221; the writing of some of our favorite folks on the town, who have not seen their results until now!%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Scott Ziegler
Architect and founding principal of Ziegler Cooper Architects; builder of grand structures; sartorial dresser, knows 37 ways to wear a bow-tie
%26#8220;This is the way an architect writes. He definitely has the rhythmic block letters of a draftsman.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;The way he encompasses all the letters in his signature shows that he is a close to his family.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;There%26#8217;s determination here. And dignity.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;The spacing and organization of the page reveal that what he wants is clearly defined.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;He enjoys using physical materials to communicate his ideas.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;Perfection is important.%26#8221;

%26nbsp;

Anne Carl
Business woman; consummate fund-raiser, perfect lady
%26#8220;See how she organizes her page. There are no boundaries here. And there are not enough hours in the day!%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;A people person. Yet also private.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;She%26#8217;s nocturnal.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;Enjoys the finer things in life. She would rather have one original than three copies.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;Self-reliant. She%26#8217;s gotten through life on her own drive.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;Great joie de vivre.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;She achieves her goals and expects the same from others.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;Many interests.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;An up person.%26#8221;

%26nbsp;

Barbara Davis
Owner/director of Barbara Davis Gallery; doyenne of all things cultural, grande dame of the arts
%26#8220;She%26#8217;s outspoken. Enthusiastic.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;There%26#8217;s no difference between her writing and her signature. What you see is what you get.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;She stands up for her beliefs and is seldom wrong.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;She doesn%26#8217;t miss the details but also takes in the big picture.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;She feels secure in decisions. She marches to her own drummer.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;She is drawn to beauty and has a real feeling for color, music, art.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;She is loyal to what she believes.%26#8221;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

George Lancaster
Senior vice president, Hines; Stages Repertory Theatre board chair, flinger of bons mots, art collector
%26#8220;He%26#8217;s direct. His T comes to an arrow.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;His L going down shows he%26#8217;s sarcastic. There%26#8217;s a bit of a twist, making him most interesting to be around and quite witty.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;See his S curve. There%26#8217;s humor. And he%26#8217;s very intelligent.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;Look at how he connects his T and H. He%26#8217;s a good troubleshooter. He can stop to solve a problem then go back to the task at hand.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;He enjoys life.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;No patience for phonies. He doesn%26#8217;t suffer fools. He likes real people.%26#8221;

%26nbsp;

Peter Brown
Architect, planner, City Council Member; former mayoral candidate; attends more galas, luncheons and openings than PaperCity editors
%26#8220;No hidden agenda here.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;He%26#8217;s optimistic! See the slant upwards and to the right.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;He%26#8217;s sensitive to other people.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;His T bars are high. He has high aspirations. But not too high that he doesn%26#8217;t check everything out thoroughly. He doesn%26#8217;t take everything at face value.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;His F%26#8217;s are the same size as his G%26#8217;s, showing that he%26#8217;s well-organized.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;On the whole, very good. Likable.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;A clear communicator.%26#8221;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Ursaline Hamilton
Philanthropist, model, volunteer; fashion-show producer; svelte swan who turns heads on the runway and off

%26#8220;She%26#8217;s unique and doesn%26#8217;t want to be seen like everyone else. Look at how she dots her I%26#8217;s.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;Her caps are prominent. She has solid self-esteem.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;Creative.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;Physically very active and attractive.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;Her slant shows that she is a bit of a private person.%26#8221; %26#9679; %26#8220;See how she crosses her T%26#8217;s. She%26#8217;s not a risk taker. She won%26#8217;t undertake a project unless she can achieve perfection.%26#8221;

%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Unwrapped: Diane von Furstenberg

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:22:14 GMT

Belgian-born designer Diane von Furstenberg %26#8212;%26nbsp;who married a prince in 1969, had a baby boy in 1970 and a baby girl in 1971, launched her fashion house and her iconic wrap dress in 1972, held court at Studio 54 in 1977 and married again in 2001 %26#8212; is still at it. This month Miz DVF opens her 10th freestanding American boutique in our very own Highland Park Village. Tucked between namesake stores Christian Louboutin and Carolina Herrera, von Furstenberg%26#8217;s 1,500-square-foot shop stocks her entire luxury lifestyle collection, including%26nbsp; DVF accessories, swimwear, shoes and handbags. Will the wrap dress make an appearance at the new store? She gives a resounding %26#8220;Of course!%26#8221; %26#8212; and also reveals a little bit about her design concept, a favorite fall tunic and who she thinks are the most beautiful women in all the land. (They%26#8217;re closer than you think.)

%26nbsp;

How instrumental were you in the design of the new store? Tell us a little bit about it.%26nbsp;I am very much involved in the entire design process. The store interior features genuine DVF concepts: openness, transparency and a contemporary glow. There are three diamond-shaped rooms that flow into each other, and a diamond-shaped mirrored column that reflects the clothing colors. We always go for a contemporary and feminine feel for our stores and try to balance character and innovation.

The perfect tote for carrying blueprints around in? The DVF Stephanie bag.

Besides new stores, what else do you collect? Books.

So, DVF, what%26#8217;s your favorite piece in your own fall collection?%26nbsp;I love the beetle-embellished velvet tunic that went down the runway.

Your trademark physical feature? My hair, my legs or my heart?

You%26#8217;re clearly passionate about design. What is your all-time favorite building? The Parthenon in Athens!

You%26#8217;ve been to Dallas several times %26#8212; in fact, PaperCity has co-hosted two parties with you at Neiman Marcus. What sticks in your mind about our city? I have always loved Dallas %26#8212; the rodeos and the beauty of the women! Dallas women are the most beautiful women in America.

The Crystal Charity Ball Presents …

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:44:48 GMT

The 2010%26nbsp; Crystal Charity Ball Luncheon and%26nbsp; Fashion Show
Clear Your Calendar: Friday, September 10, 10:30 am
The Scene Is Set: Neiman Marcus DowntownChairman: Alison Farrow
Details: Akris designer Albert Kriemler sends his architecturally inspired Fall 2010 collection down the catwalk, followed by the Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas and the Hall of Fame Honoree. Seated luncheon after the show.
To Attend: Tickets from $500.
Information: 214.526.5868; crystalcharityball.org

The 2010 %26nbsp;Crystal Charity Ball
Pencil It In: Saturday, December 4, 7 pm
Luxe Locale: Hilton Anatole
Chairman: Cynthia R. Mitchell
Details: %26#8220;An Evening in Imperial Kyoto,%26#8221; complete with thousands of cherry blossoms, awaits ball-goers.
To Attend: Tickets from $5,000 per couple.
Information: 214.526.5858; crystalcharityball.org

%26nbsp;

Images: Designer Albert Kriemler flanked by models wearing Akris Fall 2010; Daphne Guinness in Akris Fall 2010

%26nbsp;

A Q%26amp;A with Akris Designer Albert Kriemler

Did you design the Fall collection with anyone or any inspiration in mind?
It was a view from the woods to a still lake within the winter forest %26#8212; this was the inspiration for fabrics and color. Nature is a constant inspiration for me.

Selecting Daphne Guinness to be the face of Akris the past two seasons was an unexpected choice. What drew you to her?
Daphne is a beautiful and intriguing woman %26#8212; a fashion icon in her own right. I%26#8217;ve seen her photographed by Steven [Klein] before, and she emanates a sense of mystery and aristocracy. There is more to the picture than meets the eye.

Where do you see Akris 10 years from now?
Hopefully many more accessories and handbags made out of horsehair, or with touches of this wonderful and unique material. My favorite piece of the collection is the drawstring sleeve trench coat with horsehair patch pockets.

Favorite architect and architecture?
Architecture and contemporary art are two fields where I spend my precious free time. Last time I was in Dallas I visited, among others, Louis Kahn%26#8217;s Kimbell Museum and Tadao Ando%26#8217;s Fort Worth Modern. This time I cannot wait to see the Nasher Sculpture Center and other new architecture which has recently been built in Dallas. The most important architect for my work is Adolf Loos. He was one of the first to embrace minimalism after the era of Art Nouveau. Loos was critical of every type of decoration that had no function. His principle was %26#8216;form follows function and function is always beautiful.%26#8217;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Robert (Alison) Farrow
The Crystal Charity Ball Fashion Show and Luncheon Chairman
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Oscar de la Renta. Wolford tights. Christian Louboutin shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Rely-upon house painter: Paul Jackson Painting Co., Inc.
Her decorator: A combination of the talents of my mother, Jan Pickens, my sister-in-law Becky Massey and my own.
Lighting: John Watson Landscape Illumination.
Caterer of choice: Cassandra Fine Catering.
Floral designer: Junior Villanueva of The Garden Gate Floral Design.
Design hive she haunts: Neiman Marcus%26#8217; Gift Galleries.%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Tom (Cynthia) Mitchell
The Crystal Charity Ball Chairman
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Akris. Wolford tights. Manolo Blahnik shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: David Michael Wood of New York, who has assisted me on all our residences, and Bunny Williams.
Upholsterer: Gerardo Gonzalez of L%26amp;B Fine Custom Upholstery.
Lighting: Charles Birdsong for the most beautiful table lamps and lampshades for our Dallas home and our summer cottage in Litchfield County, Connecticut. Jay Liese, an architect friend, for advice on the illumination of artwork.
Landscape designer: Chip Clint of Clint Horticulture.
Caterer: Cassandra Fine Catering, George Catering, Wynnwood Catering.
Candle essence: Kips Bay Candle, peony-scented.

The Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas

The Crystal Charity Ball%26#8217;s Ten Best Dressed nominees, chosen by the Crystal Charity Ball membership, view home as a centripetal part of their lives. It%26#8217;s fitting we chose a dwelling %26#8212; a modern masterpiece crafted by architect Roland Roessner circa 1967, with a thoughtful renovation by Brown Architects in 2008 %26#8212; for the location of our annual shoot. Not only did the Ten Best Dressed, Hall of Fame Honoree, Ball Chair and Luncheon Chair glow in the many architectural nooks of 3601 Euclid Avenue, but also, as you can see from the portraits, the house took on a shine of its own. Owned by Terrasse Properties, 3601 Euclid Avenue is listed for $5,799,000 through Briggs-Freeman Real Estate Brokerage, briggs-freeman.com.

Styling assistant Jane Sublett for Kim Dawson Agency. Makeup and hair Jeanna Doyle for The Campbell Agency. Photo assistant Barry Porter. All fashion, shoes and hosiery from Neiman Marcus.

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Gene (Nancy) Carter
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Akris. Gucci shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Glenda Kay Interiors.
Upholsterer: Joyce Hern%26#225;ndez of Renaissance Designs Drapery Workroom.
Lighting: Alison %26amp; Co.
Landscape designer: Williams Landscaping Co.
House painter: Mario Ayala of Ayala Painting, Inc.
Caterer: George Catering.
Floral designer: I Love Flowers.
Design hive: Carlyn Galerie in Preston Center.
China pattern: Wedgwood%26#8217;s Kutani Crane.
Candle essence: Trish McEvoy%26#8217;s Blueberry Vanilla.

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Don (Robyn) Conlon
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Akris. Wolford tights. Christian Louboutin shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Susan Palma Interiors, Jan E. Mason Interior Design.
Landscape designer: Lawrence Lothrop of Lothrop%26#8217;s Landscape, Inc.
Caterer: Jodi Delay of The Festive Kitchen.
Floral designer: Junior Villanueva of The Garden Gate Floral Design.
Design hive: Neiman Marcus%26#8217; Gift Galleries.
China pattern: Spode Christmas Tree %26#8212; my college roommate gave me my first piece when I was 19.
Candle essence: Ralph by Ralph Lauren%26#8217;s Holiday Party.

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Dwight Mrs. Dwight (Claire) Emanuelson
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Lanvin. Wolford tights. Yves Saint Laurent shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Susan Palma and Muffin Lemak of Design Girls, Inc.%26nbsp; Design has never been so much fun.
Landscape designer: Jeff Johnston of YardPros Group.
House painter: David Hardin. I%26#8217;ve known him longer than my husband!
Caterer: Neiman Marcus; Greg Rankin of The Catering Company; The Food Company.
Floral designer: Randy Wenz of Avant Garden; Haile Wossen of Anthos.
Design hive: Mecox Gardens. I am an addict!
China pattern: Herend%26#8217;s Blue Garland.
Silver pattern: Reed %26amp; Barton%26#8217;s Francis I.
Candle essence: Niven Morgan, of course. I love the new Jean Baptiste 1717 collection.

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Greg (Kim) Miller
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Oscar de la Renta. Wolford tights. Christian Louboutin shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Cheri Etchelecu Interior Design and LCL Interior Designs.
Upholsterer: Juanita%26#8217;s Drapery %26amp; Upholstery.
Lighting: Doster Lighting, Inc.
Landscape designer: Imperial Landscape.
House painter: The Painter Chicks.
Caterer: George Catering.
Floral designer: Urban Flower/Grange Hall; Rusty Glenn Designs.
Design hive: Madison.
China pattern: JL Coquet%26#8217;s Khazard.
Silver pattern: Christofle%26#8217;s Vertigo.
Candle essence: Niven Morgan%26#8217;s Lavender Mint.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Charles (Pat) McEvoy
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Akris. Gucci shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Dan Nelson of Vision Design.
Lighting: Lentz Landscape Lighting.
Landscape designer: Walter Dahlberg from Lambert Landscape Company.
House painter: Elias Ortiz.
Caterer: George Catering.
Floral designer: Junior Villanueva of The Garden Gate Floral Design.
Design hive: Mecox Gardens, Joel Cooner Gallery, Neiman Marcus%26#8217; Gift Galleries.
China pattern: Jaune de Chrome.
Silver pattern: Christofle%26#8217;s Vertigo.
Candle essence: Ernesto%26#8217;s Cire Trudon.%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Jack (Aileen) Pratt
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Valentino. Wolford tights. Christian Louboutin shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Sherry Hayslip of Hayslip Design Associates.
Upholsterer: Klassic Designs Custom Furniture.
Lighting: Lentz Landscape Lighting.
Landscape designer: Linda Tycher%26#8232; %26amp; Associates.
House painter: Gilberto Barco.
Caterer: George Catering.
Floral designer: Junior Villanueva of The Garden Gate Floral Design.
China pattern: Royal Copenhagen%26#8217;s Flora Danica.
Silver pattern: Towle Silversmiths%26#8217; King Richard.
Candle essence: Slatkin %26amp; Co.%26#8217;s Bamboo %26amp; Jasmine.

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Richard (Nancy) Rogers
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Akris. Wolford tights. Christian Louboutin shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Donna Fadal of D. Fadal Designs. She%26#8217;s a one-stop wonder.
Lighting: Lambert Landscape Company.
Landscape designer: Lambert Landscape Company.
Caterer: TJ%26#8217;s Seafood Market.
Floral designer: Jane Stevens of Jane Stevens Designs; Shane Walker Design.
Design hive: Casa di Lino on Oak Lawn Avenue; Stephanie Anne in Highland Park Village.
China pattern: I love table settings: Christofle%26#8217;s Alliance-Bleu, Bernardaud%26#8217;s Madison Platinum, Raynaud%26#8217;s Limoges Cristobal, Rosenthal%26#8217;s Versace Les Tr%26#233;sors de la Mer, Emilia Castillo%26#8217;s white Butterflies and black Leopard; Anna Weatherley Anna%26#8217;s Garden.
Silver pattern: Christofle%26#8217;s Aria; Emilia Castillo pounded sterling silver.
Candle essence: I absolutely love Niven Morgan candles, especially Oak Moss and Myrrh.

%26nbsp;

Ms. Amy Turner
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Akris. Escada boots.%26nbsp;
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Deborah Walker + Associates.
Upholsterer: Through George Cameron Nash.
Lighting: Unique Lighting of Texas.
Landscape design: David R. Andrew %26#8211; Landscape Architecture.
Caterer: Wendy Krispin Catering.
Floral designer: Shane Walker Design; Cebolla Fine Flowers.
Design hive: Forty Five Ten.
China pattern: Herend%26#8217;s Queen Victoria.
Silver pattern: Wallace Silversmiths%26#8217; Rose Point.
Candle essence: Any Laura Mercier or Nest candles.

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Alan B. (Lee Ann) White
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Akris. Manolo Blahnik shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Jo Heinz and Michael Capuano of Staffelbach Design Associates, Inc.; Sherry Hayslip of Hayslip Design Associates.
Upholsterer: Hernandez Custom Upholstery.
Lighting: Fegan Fine Art Restoration.
Landscape designer: Pete Romeaux of Romeaux Landscape Co.
House painter: Joe Mear.
Caterer: George Catering; Cassandra Fine Catering.
Floral designer: Cebolla Fine Flowers.
Design hive: Madison.
China pattern: Limoges-American%26#8217;s Bellevue.
Silver pattern: Christofle%26#8217;s Marly.
Candle essence: Voluspa%26#8217;s Capri Fig Frangipani.

%26nbsp;

Mrs. Don (Ellen) Winspear
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Akris. Wolford tights. Christian Louboutin shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Dawn Bergan of David Corley Interior Design. Creative and thoughtful.
Upholsterer: Klassic Designs Custom Furniture.
Lighting: John White.
Landscape designer: David Allegro of Allegro Landscape, Inc. %26#8212; his teams are excellent. %26nbsp;
House painter: Bill Shepherd.
Caterer: Gretchen Rose Events. She puts the fun into catering.
Floral designer: Junior Villanueva at The Garden Gate Floral Design %26#8212; his support of the arts is commendable.
Design hive: Raymond Petit %26#8212; beautiful furnishings.
China pattern: Royal Doulton%26#8217;s Sarabande.
Silver pattern: Reed %26amp; Barton%26#8217;s Francis I.
Candle essence: Seda France%26#8217;s Japanese Quince.%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Ms. Marilyn Augur
Hall of Fame Honoree
What she%26#8217;s wearing: Akris jacket. Rena Lange skirt. Wolford tights. Prada shoes.
Nesting Notions:
Decorator: Perry Henderson, Gloria Nicoud of Gloria Designs and Ken Boyd of Design One %26amp; Associates have all created wonderful places for me to live.%26nbsp;
Upholsterer: Maria Arreguin of Micas Custom Draperies.
Lighting: Monte Martin of Martin %26amp; Martin Design.
Landscape designer: Carl Neal of Carl Neal Custom Homes %26#8212; he saved the day for me when hail destroyed my garden a week before a party. That was 20 years ago, and we have worked together ever since then.
House painter: Mike Perley.
Caterer: Greg Rankin of The Catering Company.
Floral designer: Rusty Glenn Designs.
China pattern: Herend%26#8217;s Rothschild Bird and Rothschild Bird Blue.
Silver pattern: Reed %26amp; Barton%26#8217;s Francis I.

The 2010%26nbsp; Crystal Charity Ball Beneficiaries:
%26nbsp;
Boys %26amp; Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas
Project Learn: Focus on Teens
$596,222

Children%26#8217;s Medical Center
High-Risk Asthma Program
$997,212

Dallas Children%26#8217;s Advocacy Center
Forensic Interview Wing
$750,000

Parkland Foundation
Neonatal-Pediatric Pharmacy
$827,858

Texas Home Access Fund, Inc.
Home Modifications for Disabled Children
$350,000

The Family Place
Faith and Liberty%26#8217;s Place Family Center
$590,981

The 2010%26nbsp; Crystal Charity Ball Committee Active Members

Libby Allred
Paige Baten-Locke
Cynthia Beaird
Kay Beecherl
Tricia Besing
Gina Betts
Cordelia Boone
Delilah Boyd
April Bright
Carole Lou Bruton
Pam Busbee
Nancy Carlson
Mary-Elizabeth Carrell
Ann Carruth
Christie Carter
Nancy Carter
Rozalyn Colombo
Robyn Conlon
Janie Cooke
Betty Crawford
Sally Cullum
Marie Dean
Rachael Dedman
Mary Ann Denton
Leslie Diers
Nancy Duncan
Ann Dyer
Knoxie Edmonson
Claire Emanuelson
Tucker Enthoven
Dianne Etheredge
Susan Farris
Alison Farrow
Patti Flowers
Ola Fojtasek
Tanya Foster
Kim Gatlin
Suzy Gekiere
Tricia George
Barbara Hancock
Pat Harloe
Helen Holman
Libby Hunt
Sally Johnson
Di Johnston
Ann Frances Jury
Angie Kadesky
Caren Kline
Pam Krueger
Ruth Kupchynsky
Ann Lardner
Vicky Lattner
Beth Layton
Patty Leyendecker
Lisa Longino
Sarah Losinger
Lynn McBee
Pam McCallum
Wendy McCaslin
Pat McEvoy
Melissa Macatee
Mary Meier
Leslie Melson
Kim Miller
Cynthia Mitchell
Bette Mullins
Daffan Nettle
Elsa Norwood
Connie O%26#8217;Neill
Linda Paulk
Pam Perella
Jan Pickens
Maria Plankinton
Gigi Potter
Aileen Pratt
Pat Prestidge
Linda Quisenberry
Brandy Ratchford
Anne Reeder
Vinnie Reuben
Susan Roberds
Pat Rosenthal
Jennifer Sampson
Nancy Saustad%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;
Linda Secrest
Peggy Sewell
Connie Sigel
Shelle Sills
Cameron Smith
Betsy Sowell
Carol Spies
Deborah Sutton
Vera Thornton
Ashley Tripplehorn
Amy Turner
Cindy Turner
Julie Turner
Emilynn Wilson
Heidi Wolf
Alicia Wood

Hall of Fame Honorees

1989 %26#8211; Mrs. James B. Francis *
1990 %26#8211; Mrs. Kenneth Altshuler
1991 %26#8211; Mrs. William A. Custard
1992 %26#8211; Mrs. R. H. Pickens
1993 %26#8211; Mrs. Jeremy L. Halbreich
1994 %26#8211; Mrs. Richard C. Strauss
1995 %26#8211; Mrs. Albert G. Hill Sr. *
1996 %26#8211; Mrs. David R. Webb Jr.
1997 %26#8211; Mrs. Harold C. Simmons
1998 %26#8211; Mrs. Vance C. Miller
1999 %26#8211; Mrs. Sam T. Hamra
2000 %26#8211; Mrs. David F. Martineau
2001 %26#8211; Mrs. Jerry Jones
2002 %26#8211; Mrs. Robert H. Dedman
2003 %26#8211; Mrs. William P. Clements Jr.
2004 %26#8211; Mrs. Guy U. Griffeth
2005 %26#8211; Mrs. P. Mike McCullough
2006 %26#8211; Mrs. Carl Sewell Jr.
2007 %26#8211; Mrs. Charles J. Wyly
2008 %26#8211; Mrs. Lamar Hunt
2009 %26#8211; Mrs. Harvey R. Mitchell
2010 %26#8211; Ms. Marilyn H. Augur

The Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas: Hall of Fame

Mrs. V. Neils Agather
Mrs. Frank M. Aldridge III *
Mrs. Kenneth Altshuler %26#8226;
Mrs. Shy Anderson
Mrs. Barry Andrews
Ms. Kimberly J. Askew
Mrs. Marilyn H. Augur %26#8226;
Mrs. Fritz E. Barton Jr.
Mrs. Buford P. Berry
Mrs. Kenneth Bilby
Honorable Nancy G. Brinker
Mrs. Dan Busbee
Mrs. David Carruth
Mrs. A. Baron Cass III
Mrs. Robert T. Chapman
Mrs. Elloine Sinclair Clark
Mrs. William P. Clements Jr.%26#8226;
Ms.%26nbsp; Jeanne Marie Clossey
Mrs. Larry W. Collins
Mrs. Hugh Corrigan IV
Mrs. William A. Custard %26#8226;
Mrs. Robert H. Dedman %26#8226;
Mrs. Robert H. Dedman Jr.
Mrs. David Donosky
Mrs. Lowell C. Duncan Jr.
Mrs. William C. Duvall
Mrs. Thomas L. England
Mrs. Henry Exall Jr.
Mrs. Robert E. Farrow
Mrs. Randall Fojtasek
Mrs. Robert S. Folsom
Mrs. Gerald Ford
Mrs. James B. Francis *%26#8226;
Mrs. Robert J. Frank
Mrs. Todd A. Furniss
Mrs. William E. Gibbons
Mrs. Don Godwin
Mrs. Oliver Gould
Mrs. Warren L. Gravely Jr.
Mrs. Norman Green
Mrs. Guy U. Griffeth %26#8226;
Mrs. T. W. Griffiths
Mrs. Dean P. Guerin
Mrs. Jack P. Gunter
Mrs. Jeremy L. Halbreich %26#8226;
Mrs. Sam T. Hamra %26#8226;
Mrs. Edward G. Harding
Mrs. Bob D. Harrison
Mrs. William M. Hayner
Mrs. Al G. Hill, III
Mrs. Albert G. Hill Sr. *%26#8226;
Mrs. Yerger Hill *
Mrs. James Hoak
Mrs. William Hodges *
Mrs. J. L. Huffines
Mrs. Kenneth H. Hughes
Mrs. Clark K. Hunt
Mrs. David S. Hunt
Mrs. Lamar Hunt %26#8226;
Mrs. Laura Bayoud Hunt
Mrs. Leete Jackson III
Mrs. David Johnston
Mrs. Jerry Jones %26#8226;
Mrs. A. Joe Justice
Mrs. Charles A. Kehoe
Mrs. John J. Kendrick Jr.
Mrs. John P. Koons
Mrs. Nancy O. Lemmon
Mrs. Meryl Levy *
Mrs. P. Mike McCullough %26#8226;
Mrs. Jan McDonald
Mrs. Hayden McIlroy
Ms. Nancy Cain Marcus
Mrs. David F. Martineau %26#8226;
Mrs. Jerry M. Meyer
Mrs. Vance C. Miller %26#8226;
Mrs. Harvey R. Mitchell %26#8226;
Mrs. Maurice E. Moore Jr.
Mrs. W. Lee Moore III
Mrs. John D. Murchison *
Mrs. Fulton Murray Jr.
Mrs. Robert Neely
Mrs. Nickey L. Oates
Mrs. Buford Penland *
Mrs. Ross Perot Jr.
Mrs. R. H. Pickens %26#8226;
Mrs. George Poston
Mrs. John H. Rauscher Jr.
Mrs. G. Stuart Reeves
Mrs. Steven S. Schiff
Mrs. Carl Sewell Jr. %26#8226;
Mrs. David S. Shelmire
Mrs. Harold C. Simmons %26#8226;
Mrs. James E. Sowell
Mrs. Robert C. Stack
Mrs. Marc H. Stewart
Mrs. Pamela S. Stewart
Mrs. Robert H. Stewart III
Mrs. L. Henry Stollenwerck
Mrs. Richard C. Strauss %26#8226;
Mrs. Theodore Strauss *
Mrs. Lewis T. Sweet Jr.
Mrs. Deborah G. Thomas
Mrs. Kenny Troutt
Mrs. James L. Turner
Mrs. Fletcher W. Ward
Mrs. David R. Webb Jr. %26#8226;
Mrs. Julian A. Wells
Mrs. James R. Wikert
Mrs. Max Williams
Mrs. Stephen H. Wisdom *
Mrs. William K. Woodruff
Mrs. Terry Worrell
Mrs. Charles J. Wyly %26#8226;
Mrs. Toddie Lee Wynne Jr.

%26#8226; Former Hall of Fame Honoree
* Deceased

Don't Miss It!

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:28:05 GMT

Always the premier luncheon of the fall season, this year%26#8217;s Crystal Charity Ball%26#8217;s Ten Best Dressed Women of Dallas will be presented at the annual Fashion Show and Luncheon at Neiman Marcus Downtown on Friday, September 10. Styled in luxurious looks by featured design house Akris, luncheon chair Alison Farrow, Hall of Fame Honoree Marilyn Augur and the Ten Best Dressed will partake in a sophisticated runway romp, with Akris%26#8217; darling designer Albert Kriemler venturing stateside from Switzerland to attend. As the media sponsor of The Crystal Charity Ball%26#8217;s Ten Best Dressed, PaperCity styles and photographs the official portraits of each honoree and chairman, and presents the portfolio of photographs in the September issue. This year%26#8217;s photographic session by Tim Boole took as inspiration Kriemler%26#8217;s Swiss penchant for the unembellished %26#8212; for modern luxury and uncomplicated elegance. Where to shoot? In one of Dallas%26#8217; most elegant contemporary homes, we thought. So we dialed up our friends at Briggs Freeman Real Estate Brokerage and, of course, they had the perfect modern masterpiece on their roster: a stunner designed by Roland Roessner, circa 1967. For all the details and portraits of this year%26#8217;s Ten Best Dressed, see The Crystal Charity Ball Ten Best Dressed section in this month%26#8217;s PaperCity, beginning on page 33. Tickets for the fashion show and luncheon start at $500. Information 214.526.5868; crystalcharityball.org.

Image: Albert Kriemler and models, Fall 2010

Ravantino

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 04:58:01 GMT

If red ravishes all,%26nbsp; grazie mille to Seigneur Valentino %26#8212; the man who made red famous.%26nbsp; As is the case with any Grande Master of fashion he was not limited to one color though, over the years the big V displayed many different colored, structured, and patterned gowns. He famously shaped his alta moda line to fit many famous icons including Jacqueline Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Diana Vreeland, Jacqueline de Ribes and Sophia Loren. Although now retired his legacy continues to flourish fashionably in many different hues, but no one can imitate what Valentino had with red.

The Ultimate Audrey

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:09:47 GMT

Bob Willoughby, Audrey Hepburn. Photographs 1953%26#8211;1966 (Taschen) is an epic book bound in a clamshell box, with a Tiffany-blue spine and 282 pages of smashing photographs. Each copy is hand-numbered and signed by Willoughby. It%26#8217;s $500 until September 30, then the price rises to $700. At Sloan/Hall.

Dead People We Wish We Would Have Known: Diana Vreeland

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:30:40 GMT

TO SEE PICTURES CLICK %26#8216;LAUNCH SLIDESHOW%26#8217;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

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As haute couture came to a close a couple weeks ago, nothing became more interesting to us than the storied lady who loomed large over the fashion community for so long. This month%26#8217;s dead person we wish we would have known: Diana Vreeland.%26nbsp;

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Born Diana Daziel she decided at age 14 she was, like her mythological Roman namesake, %26#8220;goddess, and therefore ought to be wonderful, pure, and marvelous.%26#8221; Being a Dalziel, which literally translates from the Scottish for %26#8220;I dare,%26#8221; she dared to make herself exactly as she wanted to be. Until this revolutionary moment in her life she had been a mere shadow of the D.V. many know. The child of an assets rich, cash poor family, Diana was often overshadowed by her big-game hunting mother and stern father.%26nbsp;

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Once out in society she married Reed Vreeland. They had two children and moved to upstate New York for a short time, Reed working in the city and Diana raising the two boys while keeping house %26#8212; with a staff, mind you. This period of her life is in some ways the richest. It was when she edified herself by reading veraciously. She had never done well in school and found herself short the necessary intelligence of the woman she wanted to be.

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This self-education served her well, informing the lion-share of her views and notions of the world, ideas that underlie the imagination that in time generated otherworldly fashion editorials for Harper%26#8217;s Bazaar and Vogue.

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Diana%26#8217;s entree into journalism came about when Carmel Snow, then editor in chief of Harper%26#8217;s Bazaar, hired Diana after seeing her dance flamenco in ballroom of the St. Regis. Snow noted to Diana, who wasn%26#8217;t all together convinced of the proposal, that seeing such was more than enough to justify her decision as she sought the quality Diana had exhibited %26#8212; uniqueness!

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So began Diana%26#8217;s editorial career and thanks to whom her friends were and the places she had traveled to opportunities existed expressly for her. Diana came into her own once part of the magazine world. Not only did she now have an outlet for her voice, which quickly drew an audience, but a stage upon which she could perform the role she%26#8217;d long been perfecting %26#8212; herself.

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And what a role it was. Just as there is for any stage role, the make-up was key; taking hours every morning she would emerge from the bathroom lips vibrant red, cheeks rouged just so, nails freshly lacquered in red %26#8212; %26#8220;the great clairafier%26#8221;, and hair coifed such that it never moved throughout the day. To behold Diana was a visceral experience. And the clothes; not only was she unyielding in her zeal for coming up with inventive ideas and eye-catching combinations %26#8212; red zippers, polished shoe soles %26#8212; she was maniacal in the maintenance of her clothing such that her wardrobe eternally looked unused.%26nbsp;

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Then there was the personality. Erupting into loud proclamations of personal opinions %26#8212; no provocation necessary %26#8212; she accented her speech with gestures that conjured the graceful and strong dancing of the Ballet Russes.

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The fashion world loved her, of course, and with time she became a valued and powerful member of it, moving from Harper%26#8217;s Bazaar, once Snow left, to Vogue as its editor in chief.

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Styling magazines spreads allowed Diana an alternate reality: layouts. In this realm looks lived forever and perfection could be achieved in the unification of status, taste, clothing and environment. It was such an attractive parallel universe that with time it proved all too tempting to Diana. It fed into her deepest urges to invent, pretend and show clothes exactly as they should be, no matter how far crews had to go, or return, to re-shoot them. With time Cond%26#233; Nast found it too expensive and out-of-touch, simply too original. Diana%26#8217;s firing from Vogue was a surprise to all,most of all herself.

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She thus embarked upon the last and perhaps most enduring period of her life, as the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art%26#8217;s Costume Institute. Her adoration of clothing genres made her job an utter pleasure. No genesis was necessary for her to identify that, for example, Cristobal Balenciaga%26#8217;s designs were sufficiently notable to warrant an exhibit of their own. Shows she curated included %26#8220;Inventive Paris Clothing,%26#8221; %26#8220;Romantic and Glamourous Hollywood Design,%26#8221; %26#8220;The Glory of Russian Costume%26#8221;%26nbsp; and %26#8220;Vanity Fair.%26#8221;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

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An original if there has ever been one, Diana Vreeland is a beacon not only in the World of Fashion, but an example everyone, as she dared be who she was. She is exemplary of what one can achieve when they don%26#8217;t place a limit on their abilities, recognizing instead that no such thing exist. Talk about true style.

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Pictures: Dwight, Eleanor. Diana Vreeland. 1st. New York : Harper Collins Publishers Inc., 2002

Mod Monde

Mon, 24 May 2010 06:38:05 GMT

On a recent night Houston's discerning set jetted downtown for "Fashion: The Business of Turning Dreams Into Reality." The astute panel discussion, moderated by Katie Campion (former Program Director for the Council of Fashion Designers of America), included Janet Gurwitch (founder of Laura Mercier Cosmetics), David Hamilton (representing the fourth generation of the powers that be at Hamilton Shirts), Elaine Turner (founder and president of Elaine Turner Designs LLC), our very own Laurann Claridge (co-founder of Claridge + King), Clifford Pugh (noted Houston fashion critic), Greg Fourticq, Jr. (advisor and consultant to designers such as Calvin Klein, Donna Karen, John Varvatos, Tory Burch and Carolina Herrera; and now involved in Houston-based companies Moo Boo's and R863), and Lynn Wyatt (well ... no introduction needed for this lass).

Among the tender vittles budding fashion professionals took away from the evening ...
%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; - Janet Gurwitch suggested that one makes sure that their offering in the marketplace is unique. What void is the product filling?
%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; - Get connected and establish your credibility among those already successful. Fourticq emphasized the value of following through on your vision and having a capacity to express it concisely. Also he advised all you Lagerfeld juniors to keep your wits about you when it comes to the most essential things -- where the money's going.%26nbsp;
%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; - Be passionate, said Pugh, as it's sheer passion that will eventually catch the eye of powerful people in the design world.
%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; - Both Claridge and Turner pointed out that you can%26#8217;t discount the importance of brand visibility in New York City, still the fashion capital in the US.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;
%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; - Recognize the opportunities that exist in Houston, chimed Turner and Claridge. They both made a point to say not only how many people are willing to help one another out here, but moreover that everyone in Houston is extraordinarily receptive to new ideas.

Among the hopes expressed for our mod monde ...
%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; - Fourticq longs for special permits and tax credits that would entice young designers to Houston.
%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; - Pugh yearns to see more Houstonians value fashion on an artistic level and raise its visibility.
%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; - Claridge thinks a garment district %26#224; la New York would REALLY help here.

Perhaps the best quip of the night came from Wyatt, who when asked to%26nbsp; describe her own personal aesthetic said "it's class, with a dash of sass --but never trash." Sound words for anyone to live by.

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Comings and Glowings

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:56:38 GMT

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1. Merry Vose

Owner, Cabana

Summer jaunts? Harbour Island, Bahamas, and Montauk, New York.

The prep? Find those easy, wearable pieces that convey my effort-less style at %26#8230; where else but Cabana!

Best places to pick up swimsuits, hats and more:%26nbsp; On vacation, usually at a store in Montauk, called Tauk %26#8212; they have the best selection. I also love OndadeMar and Zimmermann bikinis that I now sell in my shop. Remember, the smaller the bottoms, the smaller your bottom looks!

Sun product you can%26#8217;t live without: Dr. Lancer%26#8217;s Vitamin C Antioxidant Sunscreen SPF 30. I don%26#8217;t leave home without it!

Who%26#8217;s on your speed dial for %26#8230; Haircut: Samantha at Lisa Bennett Salon. Highlights: Monica at Lisa Bennett Salon. Mani/pedis: Sophia%26#8217;s Nail Salon. Facials: Marilee St. Louis at Luxury on Lovers.

2. Nicole Boykin
Owner, designer Koch Handbags and Clothing

Summer jaunts? To Casey Key, Florida, an eight-mile barrier island, to visit my 100-year-old grandmother for daily Whitman%26#8217;s chocolates and perfect Manhattans. Then to La Jolla to spend time with my family.

The prep? Buy a new wetsuit %26#8212; the Pacific is cold! I%26#8217;ll also raid my summer collection for our boy shorts and caftans.

Best places to pick up swimsuits, hats and more: My favorite place is Cabana. I also love Bird Rock Bikini, birdrockbikini.com %26#8212;%26nbsp;a swim-and-surf shop in a beach community in La Jolla. And I can%26#8217;t wait to get a Hanne Bloch black bikini from wild-swans.com.

Favorite self-tanning product: L%26#8217;Or%26#233;al Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Lotion from Walgreens.

Who%26#8217;s on your speed dial for %26#8230; Spray-tan: Magdalena at Bella Vita Rejuvenation Center. Waxing and eyebrows: Heather at the Cooper Aerobic Center%26#8217;s Day Spa.%26nbsp;

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3. Shelby Wagner
Owner, Shelby Wagner Design

Summer jaunts? We%26#8217;re going to Mustique in July to launch Niven%26#8217;s [Morgan] new line of Mustique products; a cruise on SeaDream to the Greek Isles and Amalfi Coast in August; and planning to spend time as much time as possible at my ranch outside Canadian, Texas.

The prep? Book flights using AAdvantage miles!

Best places to pick up swimsuits, hats and more: Vilebrequin for swim trunks, Scoop NYC for t-shirts and L. L. Bean for their %26#8220;Boat and Totes.%26#8221;

Sun product you can%26#8217;t live without: Lancaster. %26nbsp;I stock up at the duty-free shops when passing through London or Frankfurt.

Who%26#8217;s on your speed dial for %26#8230;%26nbsp; Haircut: Shara at Osgood-O%26#8217;Neil Salon in Snider Plaza. Body scrubs: At home with discontinued Niven Morgan Lavender Mint scrub that I have been hoarding.%26nbsp;

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4. Josh Madans
VP, director of marketing for Todd Event Design Creative Services

Summer jaunts? We%26#8217;ve got a family vacation to Seaside, Florida, this July, and we%26#8217;ll close out the summer with friends in Aspen.

The prep? Get out the blender, stock up on the essentials (vodka, tequila, etc.) and hit the gym with a little more enthusiasm and frequency.

Best places to pick up swimsuits, hats and more: Vilebrequin swim trunks %26#8212; which I buy online or when traveling since their NorthPark store closed; colorful (some might say %26#8220;loud%26#8221;) Etro shirts from Neiman Marcus; polos from Lacoste.

Sun product you can%26#8217;t live without: SkinCeuticals.

Who%26#8217;s on your speed dial for %26#8230; Haircut: My dear wife buzzes my hair once a week in our bathtub %26#8220;salon.%26#8221; She complains about it, but it%26#8217;s about as convenient as it gets.

5. George Cameron Nash
Owner, George Cameron Nash showroom

Summer jaunts? To Provincetown, Massachusetts, aka Cape Cod.

The prep? Cut my hair shorter; sort through my shorts.

Best places to pick up swimsuits, hats and more: Mad As A Hatter and Item, both in Provincetown.

Sun product you can%26#8217;t live without: Panama Jack, of course!

Who%26#8217;s on your speed dial for %26#8230; Haircut: Drew Schlup at Floyd%26#8217;s 99 Barbershop in the West Village for the best scissor cut in town. Beard grooming: Shane Stovall at Floyd%26#8217;s. Hot steamy towels and zoning out to rock %26#8216;n%26#8217; roll music. Body scrubs: Who needs that when you have a Westie named Buster to lick you to death?

6. Tricia Besing
New co-owner, Dunmore Beach Club on Harbour Island

Summer jaunts? To my favorite beach spot, Harbour Island in the Bahamas, and to my favorite mountain spot, Whitefish, Montana.

The prep? As I type this, I am arriving at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona. So, I guess you could say this is how I prep for %26#8220;bathing-suit weather%26#8221;?

Sun product you can%26#8217;t live without: Anthelios %26#8212; once only available through dermatologists, now it%26#8217;s sold at CVS.

Favorite self-tanning product: I love how a spray tan looks, but still haven%26#8217;t found one that doesn%26#8217;t smell! So, I%26#8217;ve decided to embrace my pale skin and freckles, plus a little powder bronzer from Bobbi Brown.

Who%26#8217;s on your speed dial for %26#8230; Highlights: Michael Flores Salon for my blonde! Mani/pedis: TN Nails on Lovers Lane.

Who's on Brooke's Speed Dial?
With a schedule as maddening as mine, I must admit, I stock up on service numbers in threes. If one can%26#8217;t fit me in last-minute, there%26#8217;s two who I hope can.

Haircuts and color
Ceron Salon at Neiman Marcus Downtown, 1618 Main St., 214.573.2626; ceronsalon.com
Jean-Philippe Salon, 5600 W. Lovers Lane, 214.350.7897; jeanphilippesalon.com
Salon Pompeo Palomar, 5330 E. Mockingbird Lane, 214.203.3333; salonpompeo.com

Spray tanning
Bella Vita, 6170 Sherry Lane, 214.373.4233; bellavitadallas.com
Lash Studio%26#8217;s Xen-Tan (I use Xen-Tan self-tanner at home), 3699 McKinney Ave., 214.520.0511; lashstudiotx.com
Ceron Salon at Neiman Marcus Downtown, 1618 Main St., 214.573.2626; ceronsalon.com

Waxing
Waxing the City, 6131 Luther Lane, 214.265.0121; waxingthecity.com
Nail Bar, 3839 McKinney Ave., 214.528.6245; nailbardallas.com
Neinast Salon, 3622 Fairmont St., 214.999.0400; neinastsalon.com

Mani/pedis
Sophia%26#8217;s Nail Salon, 5541 W. Lovers Lane, 214.350.7400
Julie%26#8217;s Nails, 5215 W. Lovers Lane, 214.350.7966
Pampered Soles, 5210 W. Lovers Lane, 214.358.0006

Eyebrows
Cindy DiMaggio, 8335 Westchester Dr., 972.523.9921
Eliza%26#8217;s Eyes at Exhale Spa, 5670 North Central Expressway, 214.370.5800; exhalespa.com
Waxing the City, 6131 Luther Lane, 214.265.0121; waxingthecity.com

Beauty Buzz
A world of K%26#233;rastase and Kevin Murphy hair products awaits at Preston Center%26#8217;s recently opened Salon Lucien. Social swans are filling owner Mary Crosland%26#8217;s appointment book at 8411 Preston Road, 214.369.2500 %26#8230; After 11 years of beautifying Europeans, Belgian couple Filip and Ann Keuppens have opened stateside with Zeal Med Spa and Salon. Services including Brazilian blow-outs, Botox and teeth whitening, 10720 Preston Road, 214.363.1993; zealmedspa.com %26#8230; Blaine%26#8217;s Color hair hue expert Blaine Schlaudt debuts his summer color palette with a Genesis Women%26#8217;s Shelter benefit. Pencil in Thursday, May 27, at 300 North Akard Street, and log onto blainescolor.com %26#8230; Sculpt and slim without surgery with two of Dallas Medical Spa%26#8217;s most popular procedures %26#8212; Pure Lipo and Vela Shape. Dial 972.566.7333 to book an appointment. Megan Welsh and Christina Geyer%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Fashion Hall of Fame

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:15:23 GMT

Lynn Wyatt
Always perfectly polished, this iconic social has graced the International Best Dressed List too many times to count.
Favorite fashion flick? The %26#8217;30s movies are so stylish. Especially the ones where Art Deco jewels are worn %26#8212; the clips placed a certain way, or a brooch worn on a gorgeous evening gown or cocktail dress. That look is still glamorous today.
Amount of time pondering a single outfit? I always say, when in doubt, don%26#8217;t! But I%26#8217;ll spend endless hours, even days, contemplating buying an haute couture outfit. When I finally do decide on my choice, I%26#8217;ll wear it several times that year in different parts of the world, put it away for a couple of years, and then bring it out again. Fortunately, I have some golden oldies that I love and adore as much as when I bought them, and appreciate them even more in this economic downturn %26#8230;
Something stylish people have in common? Stylish people that I admire all seem to be doers; no one is idle. Also, they seem to have an inner eye that just clicks %26#8220;the right thing,%26#8221; whether it%26#8217;s how they wear clothes or how they live in their homes %26#8230; Their graciousness and good manners breathe style.

Ceron
This best-dressed man cuts the best tresses in town at his namesake salon Ceron.
Can%26#8217;t live without? My Alexandra Knight black alligator bag.
What do you seem to get the most fashion kudos for? The ability to accessorize.
Favorite fashion flick? I absolutely love Brideshead Revisited for fashion.
Something stylish people have in common? A good haircut.
What do you have your eye on next? The Jean Paul Gaultier men%26#8217;s Kelly bag for Herm%26#232;s.

Fashion Hall of Fame

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:23:47 GMT

Phoebe Tudor
This svelte social is known for her stewardship and fund-raising for the restoration of the Julia Ideson Library downtown, the Shepherd School of Music and the Houston Ballet.
Amount of time pondering a single outfit? I%26#8217;m often in a hurry and do better if I%26#8217;ve shopped ahead of time and have a couple of choices ready to go in the closet.
You couldn%26#8217;t live without what in your closet? The classics. They allow me to splurge on special pieces to freshen things up.

Aaron Rambo
It%26#8217;s no wonder Mr. Rambo has quite the sartorial eye, given the spectacularly curated home and antiques business he co-owns, Found for the Home.
Can%26#8217;t live without? My white Chuck Taylor low-tops.
You seem to get the most fashion kudos for? My salt-and-pepper hair.
Something stylish people have in common? A sense of self.