Party at Historic Bayou Bend Gardens Bring Out Houston’s Loveliest Ladies For a $1 Million Outing
Flower Power Fashions Take Centerstage
BY Shelby Hodge //
Cate Glover, Samantha Glover at the Bayou Bend fashion luncheon (Photo by Wilson Parish)
The famed azaleas of Houston’s Bayou Bend Collection & Gardens might have bloomed out by late March, but the floral aura returned with the annual Bayou Bend Fashion Show Luncheon. The flock of lovelies swanning in for the tented affair held in the gardens added a bounty of blossoms to the tableau via their flowered ensembles.
The Friday luncheon was accompanied by the Sunday night Bayou Bend Garden Party. Combined proceeds resulted in $1 million for the operations of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s historic home and gardens.
“We’re just so exited to have beautiful spring weather here in Houston and the fashion show has been terrific in supporting the operations at Bayou Bend and this Sunday the Garden Party,” MFAH director Gary Tinterow tells PaperCity. “The fashion party has been terrific because it is attracting a lot of people under 40 who are fashionable ladies and who support the museum.”
Only the night before Tinterow was elevated to Officer of the Legion of Honor (Légion d’honneur) in ceremonies at the museum. He received the premier French honor for his contributions to art and strengthening Franco-American cultural ties. In 2000, he was named Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. Proud of the prestigious recognition, Tinterow discreetly carried the insignia in his pocket to share with those who expressed interest.
The luncheon, underwritten by The Galleria/Simon Property Group for the ninth year, featured a Best of Season fashion presentation from Saks Fifth Avenue with 46 frothy spring looks. Hosting was Susanne Pritchard, who chairs the museum’s Bayou Bend Committee.
Among the 200 guests seated for the City Kitchen midday fare were Anne Chao, Carolyn Sabat, Francis Lummis, Ashlee Schneider, Phoebe Tudor, Rose Cullen, Carla Knobloch, Irma Castor and Lisa Dodd.
Spring at Bering's
The Bayou Bend Garden Party stands as the most enchanting Sunday evening event of the spring with a well-heeled contingent schmoozing, supping and dancing in the party tent decked in lavish displays of flowers. The soirée was chaired by MFAH Board of Trustees chair Anne Duncan and Leslie Duncan.
The event honored dedicated Bayou Bend champion Jeanie Kilroy Wilson for whom Bayou Bend’s Kilroy Visitor and Education Center is named.
The throng of 300 included Susanne and Bill Pritchard, Carlos Duncan, Mary Anne and Bill Dingus, Linda McReynolds, Sara Dodd-Denton and Will Denton, Clayton Erickson, Nancy and Rich Kinder, Marie Roberts Glover, Ann and John Bookout, Kathy and Marty Goossen, and Polly and Murry Bowden.
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