The Most Glamorous Tennis Tournament Ever Has a New York Force Swooning Over River Oaks’ Style

Oh, how we Houstonians love praise when it comes from worldly sophisticates. So it was no surprise as the ladies attending the River Oaks tennis tournament luncheon preened in response to international jeweler Anthony Hopenhajm‘s declaration, “I have never seen a group of women as well dressed and as beautifully put together as these.”

As owner and designer of Seaman Schepps, he emphasized that not in his home base of New York, not in Monte Carlo, not in Paris or elsewhere has he seen a more splendid tableau of well-dressed women. Hopenhajm was the guest of Tenenbaum Jewelers’ Tony Bradfield and Kevin Black.

Had they heard the praise, Nancy Abendshein and Aliyya Stude, chairs of the two-day tennis fête, would have been even more pleased with the event that could not have been more perfect. Consider the two sublime spring days, the cornucopia of floral frocks and the bounty of sun hats. No wonder the New Yorker was swooning.

Even the fashion show from Tootsies reflected the sunshine mood. As creative director Fady Armanious told PaperCity, “I wanted everything to be light and floral and happy.” Indeed, it was a happy occasion as it was the 35th year that Tootsies has provided the fashion show element for the popular luncheon.

Apparently, it was what the ladies wanted. As Marita Fairbanks declared, “I wanted everything in the show.” The second day of the luncheon (both days always sold out in an instant), Tootsies opened a pop-up shop in a swank tent on River Oaks Country Club grounds.

The fashion presentation was once again orchestrated by the ever-popular Lenny Matuszewski and Tamara Klos Bonar.

Who: Marita Fairbanks, Valerie Dieterich, Sippi Khurana, Whitney Crane, Lisa O’Leary, Stephanie Cockrell, Holly Alvis, Christine Falgout, Stephanie Nguyen, Melissa Juneau, Amber Moysen, Lisa Malone, Christina Stith, Melissa Schnitzer, Cami Goff, Alix Nakfoor, Lori Sarofim, Sally Easterling, Kelley Young and Eleanor Gilbane.