Italian Aristocrats and Style Stars Bring La Dolce Vita to Houston at Dolce & Gabbana Opening Soirée

What: Dolce & Gabbana Grand Opening.

Where: Cocktail reception at Dolce & Gabbana in River Oaks District; dinner at Palazzo Thrash, aka the Memorial home of John and Becca Cason Thrash, who donned due divine Dolce dresses for the evening: a black-and-white lace cocktail dress at the boutique, then a black lace number with gold flowered brooches at her home.

Who: Italian aristocrat, longtime Dolce muse and current head of couture Coco Brandolini D’Adda, president of Dolce & Gabbana North America Tina Bhojwani, director of communications Valerio D’Ambrosio and haute couture sales manager Frantz Modeste, all in Houston for the evening to represent the famed Italian brand alongside store manager Bernie Cantu; stylish guests Carmina Zamorano, Lora Clemmons, Henry Richardson and Monsour Taghdisi, Erin and James Stewart, Lindley and Jason Arnoldy, Monica and John Blaisdell, Chris Goins, Tatiana Massey, and Natalie Lefevre.

PC Moment: From the moment the decadently thick, rose-covered invitation arrived, we knew it would be an epic evening. The soirée commenced with the first chance to shop the latest fashions and accessories in the gorgeous boutique, which is swathed in garnet-red wallpaper and velvet. A high-energy, haute crowd sipped champagne — served by handsome gents in white tie — as they perused the looks, air-kissing and closing conversations with “I’ll see you at Becca’s?”

The stage was certainly set for act two at Palazzo Thrash. Dolce & Gabbana went all out for the affair; their team, along with Richard Flowers of The Events Company, transformed the art-filled home into a scene out of one of their Sicilian Alta Moda Extravaganzas (Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana flew Miz Thrash out to attend the first one a few years ago). Ivy and red roses filled the archways, red accents were expertly placed throughout the home, and a show-stopping 30-foot dessert table featured dozens and dozens of roses alongside scrumptious confections flown in from Italy and lit by candles. Two hundred guests enjoyed a long buffet in the kitchen, which featured savory Italian delicacies and dined intimately with friends at petite cafe tables set with red linens arranged by the indoor pool. It made for one surreal soirée, which we surmise could only occur when Italian entertaining and Texan hospitality collide.