Texas Favorite Makes a High Fashion Splash in the Hamptons With Loads of Celebs — The Studio Mayfair Turns Important Heads
Making Big Moves In One Of America's Most Expensive Enclaves
By Shelby Hodge //
Photography BFA / Kevin Czopek
What better time and place to introduce a not-quite fledgling clothing line than during summertime in the exclusive Southampton enclave of Water Mill? That would be Southampton on Long Island. The fine tailoring enterprise would be Houston’s The Studio Mayfair.
In a brilliant marketing move for the brand’s East Coast debut, founder Sterling Dio was hosted in this très cher hamlet by Dallas/Houston philanthropist Kaleta Blaffer Johnson and native Texan/East Coast society diva Devorah Rose.
To set the stage, Water Mill is the sixth most expensive ZIP code for real estate in the country. Think River Oaks with banks of glorious hydrangeas rather than azaleas and a nearby ocean rather than a bayou.
As expected, the weather turned out to be sublime and the garden flowers of the private estate were in full bloom as the bevy of well-heeled guests, most men and women wearing the label of the hour, gathered for sunset cocktails and dinner in a splendidly dressed party tent.
In the tony crush were Candace Bushnell of Sex and the City fame, San Antonio Spurs owner Peter J. Holt and his wife Lauren Kate Holt, model Sailor Brinkley-Cook (yes, the daughter of supermodel Christie Brinkley), transgender model/actress Hari Nef (from the Netflix series Transparent), Fern “Godmother of Fashion” Mallis, Female Founders Fund founding partner Anu Duggal, and Houston publicist Whitney Lawson and her husband Marc Lawson.
As Dio allowed in remarks to the intimate gathering, she is a native Texan and thus embeds her clothing for both men and women with Lone Star panache combined with the polish and precision of British-inspired tailoring.
“Now how does someone from Pleasanton, Texas, with a family background in cattle ranching end up in Water Mill, New York, talking about the tailoring business I built on the floor of my guest bedroom?” Dio posits. “I pinch myself asking the same question. “
From Dio working with a menswear label for several years to taking on women’s styling during the pandemic, The Studio Mayfair was born.
“In this past year alone, I’ve been fortunate to create a place where craftsmanship and individuality belong to everyone,” Dio says. “Where clothing becomes less about trends and more about legacy and quiet sophistication. When clothing truly becomes a key of your personal brand.
“The legendary Fern Mallis, who is here with us tonight, said it best: ‘Fashion is a collective effort and a deeply personal one.’ ”
This particular evening served as launch of Studio Mayfair’s expansion to a national level through private appointments, trunk shows in various cities, and an array of events. In addition to the bespoke offerings, The Studio Mayfair just introduced a ready-to-wear line.
Up next is an event in Atlanta followed by a trunk show in Dallas September 17 and 18.
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