Houston’s Grand New Store Opens With Three Days of Partying for the Ages

The Galleria Turns Into VIP Central

By Hannah Swiggard // May 11, 2016

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Saks Fifth Avenue private dinner benefitting Houston Grand Opera, 04.26.2016

Cocktails and store preview at 51Fifteen within the new Saks, 04.27.2016

Estela and David Cockrell: Business attire was the ticket at the 51Fifteen preview at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Cocktails and store preview at 51Fifteen within the new Saks, 04.27.2016

Saks Fifth Avenue formal ribbon cutting ceremony, 04.28.2016

Saks Fifth Avenue formal ribbon cutting ceremony, 04.28.2016

What: Saks Fifth Avenue‘s Trifecta of Opening Celebration Soirées

Where: Saks Fifth Avenue Houston’s newly minted store at The Galleria

Who: Saks Fifth Avenue very top brass, including president Marc Metrick, chief merchant Tracy Margolies, EVP of stores Larry Bruce, and Saks Houston VP/general manager Bobby Dees, and Houston PR and fashion director Sylvia Forsythe; the fashion designer headliner Erdem Moralioglu (and many turned out in Erdem for the occasion); Houston Grand Opera dinner chairmen Lynn Wyatt and Isabel David; MD Anderson cocktail chairs, a powerful group of ten Yvonne and Rufus Cormier, Isabel and Danny David, Courtney Hill Fertitta and Jason Fertitta, Janet Gurwitch, Denise Monteleone, and Claire Cormier Thielke and Rick Thielke; and glam guests Mindy Hildebrand, Shari Simon, Lucky Chopra, Dancie Ware, HGO’s Patrick Summers and Perryn Leech, and Tony Bradfield and Kevin Black.

PC Moment: Three days of Saks Fifth Avenue bliss! The highly anticipated opening celebration began with a private dinner and cocktail party chaired by Lynn Wyatt and Isabel David in 51Fifteen Cuisine & Cocktails, a dazzling night that benefitted Houston Grand Opera. The following evening, an exclusive cocktail reception benefiting MD Anderson Cancer Center took place in the store, where nearly 1,000 guests previewed the new 200,000-square-foot shopping Mecca. Among the crowd were editors, Saks execs, and fashion designer and creative director Erdem Moralioglu.

And finally, the next morning, the official ribbon-cutting ceremony and opening of the new store took place early enough for a lively crowd of fashionistas. Saks cut no corners for the big day, filling the spacious two-story store with cirque-themed characters and beautiful flower arrangements by Swift + Company that carried out the luxe retailer’s signature Glam Gardens motif in exquisite and artful splendor. All of this was a beguiling backdrop to the chic wares and shops-within-shops featured in the Galleria’s eagerly awaited new retail palace.