Birkin Bags, Silk Scarves and Hermès-Branded Bread

What: Hermès Grand Opening Party.

Where: River Oaks District.

Who: Hermès execs US prez/CEO Bob Chavez and SVP of communications Peter Malachi, in from New York, and MD of marketing Florian Craen, in from Paris, and store director Jeremy Garcia, who dreamed up the soirée; Estela and David Cockrell, Brian McCulloch, David Bamford, Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl, Lucinda Loya, Lindsey Looke, Nicole Katz, Holly Radom, Erin Florescu, and Anna Hernandez.

PC Moment: Hermès’ Chavez welcomed a very exclusive crowd — who were dressed to impress in the brand’s Birkin bags, silk scarves and colorful ties — to the main courtyard at River Oaks District for al fresco champagne to toast the stunning new two-story 8,848 square foot flagship, which officially opens October 30. Double doors then revealed a grand surprise: a gorgeous French market, or La Petite Marché, complete with market-fresh food stands and twinkly lights, constructed for the evening in an adjacent courtyard. Straw French market totes were passed to each guest, who moved from station to station and filled up on party favors of fresh produce, artisanal cheese, French wines, charcuterie, chilled lobster tails from the raw bar and Killen’s barbecue. La Boulangerie even featured fresh bread with the H logo dusted on in flour. Caitlin McGauley‘s station had the longest line, as the famed illustrator was in from New York to live-sketch portraits of guests. A jazz band provided divine sounds in front of a trompe l’oeil panel of the Hermès Cafe while the fragrance of fresh flowers from the floral-arranging station perfumed the air. Ah, c’est magnifique.