Inside Downtown Dallas’ Chic New Boutique Within a Boutique
Mark Cross Meets Forty Five Ten
BY Billy Fong // 12.21.22
Samantha Frappied Brown, Jordan Jones Muñoz, Rebeca Mendoza, Anne Wallach, Greg Terzian (Photo by Bruno Snap the Picture )
Ladies who lunch rejoice, Forty Five Ten has now created a luxury label boutique within their luxury label boutique strictly for your preferred mid-day-meal bag — Mark Cross. To christen the Dallas space and celebrate the holidays, the fashionable downtown team, helmed by Anne Wallach and Jordan Jones Muñoz, had a party and invited their fashionable friends for lunch at Sasseta. Lucky me made the invite list and lunch turned into a fabulous afternoon of catching up with confidantes and indulging in some retail therapy.
Creative director Rebeca Mendoza (the first Latinx woman to helm the iconic brand) was in town for the newly launched space found adjacent to the valet entrance. The New Orleans-born designer was raised in Mexico City and moved to New York City in 2001 to work with notable brands such as Proenza Schouler, J. Mendel, and Calvin Klein (during the Raf years). Her designs have held true to the legacy of Mark Cross but have brought some younger whimsy as well (who doesn’t love a bag with a detachable strap adorned with candy-colored plumage).
The interior of the space echoes the elements that inspired the new collection — burled wood, concrete, and silver metallic pedestals. The Rear Window bag in Grape feather is an exclusive. You’ll also be able to participate in the ongoing Made to Order program where you can fulfill your dream custom request for an iconic bag.
The lunch was held at Sassetta. which reopened this past year in the former Americano space in the lobby of The Joule. I had a wonderful catch-up with my seatmate, Jenny Esping. Across from us was a new friend, Lezlie Cuellar, who is a devoted client of Forty Five Ten that came up from Houston for the occasion. And holding court at an adjacent table, the man with the plan (and by plan — developing downtown) Tim Headington.
Others spotted lunching and shopping — Cindy Rachofsky, Nini Nguyen, Capera Ryan, Meghan Looney, Sydney Watters Dunbar and her mother Vatana Watters, and of course, from the Forty Five Ten team: Kyle Branch, Robin Wilkes (this month’s “She’s the Bomb”), and Dianna Miller.
Forty Five Ten is back to its normal hours after Christmas. Monday – Tuesday, by appointment, and Wednesday – Saturday, 11 am to 5 pm. 1615 Main Street. For private appointments, you can email the team at concierge@fortyfiveten.com
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